A Dragon's View
by BreannaAiedail
Summary: ON HIATUS. Toothless and Hiccup are back, with new dragons and a large problem. The dragons have been betrayed by one of their own. Genocide has started. A dragon that once gave up a life on Berk must return as he teams up with his flock and Toothless to rid the land of the betrayers who will stop at nothing to kill other dragons.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- The first few chapter of this story were superfluous, so I moved them to their own story. Chapter numbers have been changed.**

Loki was well named. Well, depending on if you were the brunt of the joke or not. When a 52 foot red and orange Monstrous Nightmare was playing a prank, you generally wanted to be as far away as possible. Preferably on another island. But for the inhabitants of Berk, that wasn't possible. During the day, sometimes one could escape on a willing dragon. However, people had to sleep. And it was during the night that the danger was greatest. Loki was rapidly replacing Hiccup as the most destructive thing in the village. In an attempt to scare the Nadders, he had set their roosting house on fire—with them in it. Another time he had tried to scare one of the older Viking women and caused her to faint and hit her head. She hadn't woken up for three days.

As time went on, things got worse. Loki took to staying farther and farther away from the village, avoiding the angry people that filled it. To Loki, Hiccup was the worst. While Astrid would shout and wave her axe at him, Hiccup would give him a pitying look, sigh, and walk away. Loki knew why. In Loki, Hiccup was reminded of his old, useless self, and it was not a happy reminder. The boy treated the dragon with the same respect he showed everyone else, but it was a respect tinged with sadness.

After an unfortunate accident that almost cost the Vikings a ship, Loki took the initiative and moved into the mountains. From the grumblings in the village, he would have been banished anyway. Due to the problems that came with the dragon, no Viking had bothered to earn its trust or ride it. Loki was fed, said hello to, and promptly forgotten. Never big on the forced dragon raids in the first place, Loki felt hurt that the people he wanted to be friends with despised him. So he turned his back on them. If they would not have him, he would find somewhere he did belong.

*****_**Two years after leaving***_

Loki swished his tail majestically as the dragons around him ate their dinners. He growled at two Nadders who were fighting over a fish, warning them to break it up. They squawked in anger, but stopped fighting. Loki smiled to himself. Good. They knew who their leader was.

When Loki had left the Vikings, he had lived a miserable two months foraging for food in the woods and watching the village, hoping he would be invited back in. Seeing that the village almost immediately forgot about him, Loki decided to leave. He flew, all day, pushing himself to the limit to put the cursed island behind him. As night fell, wings shaking, he landed on a tiny island in the middle of the empty ocean. He had curled up under a tree that night, tired, hungry, and cold. He had woken up surrounded by dragons. Immediately on the defense, he let his anger take over and lit himself on fire, hissing at the surrounding dragons. They chattered in fear until it was finally communicated that they meant no harm. They had merely never seen a Monstrous Nightmare before.

They were an odd grouping of dragons. A flock of Terrors, two Gronckles, one Zippleback, and four Nadders. Also, another flock of dragon. They were curious things, something Loki had never seen before. They were all varying shades of blue. They were about the size of a small pony, (bigger than Terrors yet smaller than Gronckles), long whippy tails, and huge overgrown wings. They called themselves Aquers. Loki had snorted at the weird name, and had been informed it stood for Aqua Flyers. Aquers normally lived in water, explaining their coloring, and their attack was not fire, but superheated water. Rather than flaming something to death, they scalded it.

Loki quickly took over the rag tag group of dragons, appointing himself head. The others did not resist, being too disorganized to properly run themselves. As Loki learned more about the dragons he lived with, he taught them some about Berk. They were fascinated with the stories. In turn, he was fascinated with what had brought them here. The Gronckles had been part of the Nest ruled by the Green Death, but had not wanted to join the village's way of life. They were the only ones who knew what a Nightmare was. The Zippleback had been chased north from where it had lived in the South, narrowly escaping being killed by another clan of dragon-hating Vikings. The Nadders had been cast out from their flock to the west, although Loki could never figure out why. The story changed from day to day, depending on which Nadder you were talking too.

Loki found the Aquers most interesting of all, though, with their odd bodies. They had large, expressive eyes, rimmed with dark lashes. Rather than looking odd on the dragons, the lashes added a sense of softness, strengthened by their stubby claws and tiny teeth. These dragons were meant to live in sea caves, sleeping on rocks by night and hunting underwater at dawn. They seemed to be able to breathe underwater just as well as in the air, a trait much lost on the other dragons. The Aquers were quite smart and had an odd sense of humor. One moment they would be having a heartfelt discussion about the origin of Vikings (a controversial issue) and mid-sentence they would suddenly turn, scoop up a tiny paw full of mud, fling it at one of their brethren, and then steal someone's fish and dive underwater, chased by the rest of the group. But, the quirky dragons appealed to Loki. Maybe because in a way, their strangeness helped him to forget his own.

And so this was Loki's life now. He led his small flock fishing, flying, and settled the disputes that constantly cropped up. They often visited another island, about half a day's flight away, that the Nadders had found. It was larger than their island, and had abundant game and fish. They would often spend days there, romping through the woods and grass, till all the game had been scared away. Then they would return to their island, and continue life there.

Loki found out that the dragons hadn't done any exploring on this island, but none of them had lived there long. He took it upon himself to explore every nook, cranny, and hole. The island was about three miles long and two miles wide, with a large long hill on the west side. The east side was covered in a small forest that crowded right up to the base of the hill. A shallow wide beach ran along one side of the island, where the dragons slept. One day, exploring, Loki went swimming around the west corner of the island, examining the hill. A strange smell had caught his attention. There! He swam up to a tiny beach and pulled himself out of the water, raising his nose in the air. It was a damp, wet, earthy smell. Not what he was used to. Nosing through the small trees that grew where the beach met the hill, he found where the scent was coming from. It was a small hole, probably only big enough for a Terror. But it was big enough for him to peak through. After some awkward wiggling to look through, Loki finally saw what it was. The hill was actually a huge open cavern. Excited, Loki backed away and blasted the hole with fire. A few moments later, a large smooth hole had been bored into the hill. The rocks hissed in protest to the extreme heat, causing steam to fill the air. Ignoring it, Loki pushed through into the cavern. It had to be at least a half a mile long and wide. It was warm inside, too. The source of the heat was a hot spring that bubbled up in a depression in one corner. The perfect size for a dragon, even one of Loki's size. This would do. This would be their new home.

Loki had flown back and called his flock together, eager to show them what he had found. They were impressed, and were soon right at home. The trees blocked the opening, protecting them from unwanted view. There they lived in peace. So two years past. No Viking ships were ever seen, and the people were soon forgotten. It was this that was the dragon's greatest folly.


	2. Chapter 2

_***Early Summer, Loki***_

_Loki? Loki! LOKI!_

_What! I'm trying to sleep!_

_You gotta look at this!_

_What now…?_ Loki groaned and opened one eye to look at Ash, the Nadder who had disturbed his sleep.

_Look! There's a black dot on the horizon! What is it?_

Loki rolled his eyes and heaved himself upright on the sandy spit he had lain down on, squinting at the far off object. It circled back and forth slowly, just like a— _It's a bird. That's all. Now please go away so I can sleep!_

Grumbling, Ash retreated and Loki went back to sleep, unworried about stupid black birds.

Loki woke to screams and darkness. Night had fallen while he slept. He bolted upright, disoriented. His ears swiveled, catching the sound of clanging metal and the screech of steel, as well as a keening cry of a dragon. He jumped up from the beach and spread his wings, flinging himself violently into the air. After a moment his wings caught the air and he lifted up high enough to see what was going on. The island was in chaos. The flock flew through the air breathing fire at the land below. Vikings were pouring off three ships that had come up on the far shore, unnoticed by the dragons who had believed Loki when he said there was nothing there. It looked as if they had accepted his explanation of the bird and had simply all settled down for their afternoon nap. And then the Vikings had come. They shot at the dragons with their catapults and when one was hit, attacked with swords and axes. It was a massacre.

Loki screamed in rage and burst into flames, raining death on the vile humans below. His fire poured over the island, setting most of it burning. Screaming, the Vikings that had escaped his flame were cut off from their ships by the fire. Flaming branches started to fall as the forest caught fire. Loki dipped and dived, trying to help his flock. Few however, seemed to be in the air. He hoped they had escaped.

_GO! _He roared at the few dragons left flying. They hesitated, then turned sharply and flew away from the island and the destruction that had befallen it. Loki turned back to the task at hand. He was almost out of flame. But it appeared that he needn't worry. Whatever his teeth, claws, and fire hadn't taken care of, the fire had. No Vikings appeared to be alive. However, Loki had to find the rest of his flock. They could survive being hit by fire, but being stuck on a burning island hurt would kill anyone. He winged low, calling a query to the smoky air. No one answered. Panicking, he dove inside the cavern, ignoring the smoke that billowed around him. A wall of silence met him, thick and heavy. His dragon eyes raked the area. There. Who was it? He slunk closer to the small lump, wrinkling his nose at the smell of blood.

A keen broke the silence, echoing and reflecting back of the chamber walls till the air reverberated with it. It was two of the Aquers, their throats slit. He moved farther on. There. The Zippleback, its stomach ripped open, organs spilling out. He closed his eyes at the sight. Farther on, a pale blue Nadder, Ellie, her wings slashed to ribbons. Loki could barely force himself to keep searching, but no more dead filled the cave. He fled the cavern and returned to the battlefield. Viking bodies burned, filling the air with the smell of smoldering flesh. Under a tree, he saw one of the Gronckles, Ivar, with an axe through his side. Towards the edge of the forest he found four more of the Aquers, putting their remaining number down to only two.

Loki tilted his wings up and landed heavily on the top of the high hill. There he found Ash. The dragon had not been appeased by Loki's answer and had stood watch at the top of the hill. Loki guessed that he had watched for at least an hour, judging by the pace marks in the grass, before finally settling down for a nap, accepting Loki's judgment. Loki's keen eyes swept the grass, searching for the signs of how Ash had died. Small human footprints led in a winding pattern up the hill. The grass was barely crushed, showing that it was someone light and a good sneaker. The prints led to almost the top of the hill before they suddenly became heavy and rushed. Ash must have woken up. The hill top showed signs of the battle from the ripped grass and slashed earth. And yet, somehow, Ash had not escaped. Somehow, the Viking who had sneaked up on him had also managed to cut his throat with an axe. The Viking was nowhere to be seen. Ash had died slumped over a small rock, head twisted at an unnatural angle, grass stained with his blood. Loki wished he had been the one to die. The others did not deserve to pay for his mistake.

Why, then, hadn't Ash flown away as soon as he was attacked? Why would he stay on this hill top? Loki nosed his body, pushing him gently over the rock. The way Ash laid, one would think he had been protecting this rock, but why…?

A faint _chirr_ of fear caught his attention. It was not a rock. It was Avalon, a tiny purple Aquer. He barely knew her. She was just a baby, only a month old. She had never left her mother's side or the small nest they had shared. And yet today she had made the long climb up to Ash's side to keep him company. It was probably the first time she had ever left the nest. That was what Ash had died protecting. That was why he wouldn't leave. Her mother was dead now in the cave below them.

_Avalon? Avalon? Are you ok?_ Loki's voice was soft, trying to calm the tiny dragon. A whimper was her only response. Her large blue eyes gazed back at his, glazed in shock.

_Avalon? We have to go. We have to meet the rest of the flock, ok? I'm going to carry you there, alright? Don't worry, you will be safe. It's all right, see? I'm just picking you up. Poor thing, you are so limp…it's all right, it's all right, it's all right…_ Loki hummed nonsense to the baby, nonsense that wasn't true. Anything but the truth. The tiny dragon clutched firmly in a claw, Loki took one last look at the island and pushed off into the air, following the remainder of his flock. As he winged over the island, something bright flashed through the smoke below and he dipped to get a better look. It was one of the Viking's helmets, splattered with dragon blood. He scooped it up in the other paw. If he was going to extract revenge, he was going to know who it was that had committed this massacre. As his wings beat a slow rhythm over the ocean, the moon rose on the smoking ruins of his life.


	3. Chapter 3

_***Loki***_

It was a watery sun that rose over a tiny island in the middle of a grey ocean. Its few pale rays gave up on piercing the fog that surrounded it after only one attempt. The island stayed shrouded in grey. And grey matched the mood of the island's inhabitants. Huddled in the grass was a small group of dragons. A Gronckle, two Nadders, an adult and baby Aquer, and a Monstrous Nightmare. They were all that remained of a flock of 16 dragons. 10 had been killed in a massacre by ships full of Vikings. Sorrow is a heavy burden.

Loki looked at the remaining dragons in a daze, slowly matching names to faces. Mindy, the Gronckle. Tristan and Karen, the two Nadders. Avalon, the baby Aquer, and Jorn, the adult. All that remained. All because of him—No. He had to stop thinking like that. Two days had passed and the dragons had wandered the island in shock, barely able to feed themselves much less help each other. Loki shook his head. It was time to pull them together.

_Kin, _He started simply. Slowly, the dragons looked up. _We have been dealt a terrible blow. Many of those we loved, cherished, and lived with, are gone. But we cannot continue like this._

_ Why not? _Tristan interrupted.

_ Look at us. We are sitting on an island in the middle of nowhere feeling sorry for ourselves._

_ Sorry for ourselves?!_ Mindy exclaimed. _Is that how you see it? Our family dies and we just feel sorry for ourselves?!_

Loki let out a long breath, a curl of smoke belaying his annoyance. _No. That is not what I mean. But this, this is not grieving. Dragons grieve by exacting revenge, or by passing a memory onto the deceased. But we are doing neither. We sit, on this island, easy targets for anyone who may want to kill us. This is not grief._

_ But, but, but… what are we supposed to do? _Karen piped up. _We have no home, now._

_ We could. _Loki paused. They would not like his suggestion. _There are the Vikings to the North. The ones who do not fight dragons. They would offer us sanc—_

_ VIKINGS!_

_ You suggest we turn to the Vikings—_

_ Are you out of your—_

_ They would kill us as soon as—_

_ How could you suggest that—_

Loki closed his eyes for a long moment as the dragons broke into angry argument, trying to shout over each other. He knew they would not like this route. Even he was wary of returning to the tribe he had turned his back on. But two years is long, and he had learned much.

_Quiet, _he said. When they paid no attention, he roared, _QUIET! YOU WILL LISTEN WHEN I SPEAK! _Silence greeted him. _I am your leader. Therefore, I decide what path we take. And the path I choose is this: rest here for another day, catch some food, and then get off our scaly rears and go get some help. We can't kill all those Vikings on our own, however much we may want to. None of us are in fit enough shape. I know the Vikings on Berk will no longer harm dragons. They would be outraged that such a tragedy had befallen us and surely offer help. This island is almost parallel to our old home, only farther northwest. It will only take us about a day's flight to reach Berk. This is our plan. There is no discussing it. Rest up and get something to eat. It will be a long flight._

_***Three Days Later***_

The group of weary dragons winged into Berk in the early morning, a day after they had left the island. Loki's flock stuck close to his side, unused to the easy interaction the other dragons had with the humans below. As they flew over the cliffs, dragons rose from the ground to meet them, peppering them with questions.

_Hello!_

_Welcome!_

_Who are you?_

_And you?_

_You look odd...what are you?_

_I recognize you! _This was to Loki.

_You do? _

_Who is he?_

_Remember? His name is... um… Toki? No, Poki? No…Loki! That was it!_

_Loki?_

_Loki! _

_Yes, Loki! I remember him!_

_He left, didn't he?_

_Yes, he left, but now he's back!_

_Is he staying now? _

_Who cares! Call the other dragons!_

_Why me? Why can't you?_

_Just do it!_

A piercing whistle cut through the air, drawing everyone's attention to the sky and approaching visitors.

_Where's Toothless? _One of the circling dragons called.

_Toothless? _

_I don't know, do you?_

_Why do you think I asked?!_

_Oh… your right._

_I know!_

_What? Where?_

_He was with Hiccup and Astrid and Runa earlier. But I heard Toothless and Runa were meeting Blesi and leaving, because Hiccup and Astrid were going to kiss._

_Eww! I don't get why they do that. Yuck. _

_Neither do I. But someone go find them!_

Three dragons broke off from the swarm surrounding Loki and his flock and flew away, calling for Toothless.

_Calm. They merely excite easily,_ Loki hissed at his nervous dragons. They spiraled down slowly and landed on a grassy hill, close to the main hall and the dragons' roosting houses. There, they waited. As time passed, a multitude of dragons gathered around the small group, whispering among themselves. The Aquers raised the most speculation, since the breed was unknown to the northern dragons. Vikings started to appear as well, drawn by the sounds of the dragons. They murmured under their voices, eyeing the new dragons. The sounds of beating wings then filled the air, and the dragons returned; Astrid on her dragon Runa, and Hiccup on Toothless. Stoic came out of the main hall as well.

"What's this all about?" Hiccup asked.

_Welcome._ Toothless nodded at Loki.

"Hiccup! What is going on that was _so_ important that we had to—" She went pink, remembering all the people watching. "Umm…stop training? You know you need more practice with you leg!"

Hiccup grinned wryly at her save and turned to Loki. "Hello, Loki. It has been long since I have seen you. I see you have made more friends. I am glad that you have returned. What brings you back?"

_Welcome, _Toothless said again. _It has been a long time since you have been here. Have you learned anything?_

_Yes. I have learned much. And lost more. A great tragedy has befallen us. We need your help._

_It sounds like a difficult story. _He settled down on the grass._ Why don't you tell us? I will see if I can make Hiccup understand later. He is getting better at picking up our messages, you know._

Loki looked up in interest. This was big news. Dragons could project their thoughts to humans, only humans could not usually pick up on them. The few that had in the past had been branded as traitors and had been promptly killed. Over time, dragons had given up on even trying to commune with the Vikings, and the trait was lost to time. However, it seemed that some must still possess that gift, if not in the same power as their ancestors did. However, even the smallest bit of this trait could be built up so that a Viking could understand dragons as well as other Vikings. This appeared to be what Toothless was trying to do.

_All right. _Loki settled down on the grass as well and motioned for his flock to do the same. Hiccup argued quietly with Stoic while Astrid listened intently. The other Vikings seemed to be content in talking among each other or drifting back to their chores.

_Well, it all started with when I left the village. I had felt hurt that people did not seem to want to be around me, although I can understand why…_ Over the next hour, Loki poured out his story while Toothless listened in silence. The only time he interrupted was when Loki described what had happened with the bird.

_Wait. Describe it again._

_It was very small, just a black dot on the horizon, circling slowly. I did not pay much attention and went back to sleep._

_Was it a bird?_

Loki paused for a moment, thinking. _I don't know. It seems odd, since no birds come near our island when we are on it. But I figured it must have followed the ship._

Toothless scrunched up his eyes for a moment before relaxing and letting out a sigh. _All right. Go on._

Loki continued for a few more minutes, only to be interrupted again as he described what had happened to Ash.

_You say that you saw prints in the grass._

_Yes. _Loki looked at Toothless curiously. The dragon had narrowed his eyes, obviously concentrating.

_They led to the top of the hill?_

_Yes._

_And then there were signs of a fight._

_Yes. _

_And Ash's throat was cut?_

_Yes. _Loki closed his eyes for a moment and the remembered sight.

_By an axe?_

_What? _Loki opened his eyes in confusion.

Toothless shook his head, agitated. _Was Ash's neck cut by an axe?_

_Yes! Well, I mean, I suppose so. What else would it have been?_

_Where did the human go? Where was the axe?_

_Well, I don't know…_ Loki watched Toothless in confusion. He could practically feel the concentration rolling off the black dragon in waves.

_Were there prints leading back down the hill? Think hard before you answer, Loki._

Loki thought hard. He replayed the scene in his head, recalling every detail. Dragons have very good memories, and his was no exception. Although he had not registered it at the time, his eyes had looked at the grass and stored the image for later. One set of prints led up the hill, but Loki distinctly remembered none going back down. He felt like he was missing something important. Something so basic, he should have never missed it. _No. No prints led back down the hill._

_Did you see the Viking anywhere near the hill? Say, if he fell, by chance?_

_No. I did not see him anywhere or I would have ripped his body to shreds._

_Mm. _Toothless nodded in agreement with the statement, knowing it to be true.

_Toothless, what IS it? Why do you care so much?_

He did not seem to hear, only muttered to himself as he started pacing. Hiccup and Astrid looked on with the remaining Vikings. Hiccup's brows were pulled down into a frown as he watched his agitated dragon.

_Toothless? _Loki asked again. _Toothless?! TOOTHLESS!_ He roared in anger. His tiny flock pressed against him at the sudden noise.

_You will show respect when you speak to me, hatchling. _Toothless said coldly. Loki inwardly seethed at the age jab. Sure, he wasn't as old as the other dragons, but he wasn't a baby!

_Better, _Toothless commented. _Now, to answer your question. You saw a black dot on the horizon circling like a bird. It was no bird. As you said, no birds came near your island. And then was no time to start, ship or not. You're Ash was killed even though it was in the most unlikely of ways. You said it yourself, 'I don't see how he could have been taken surprise of in a middle of a fight with such a small Viking.' You were right. Also, there is the fact that no foot prints led down the hill, no blood left in the grass, no weapon, and no sign of the Viking at all._

_What are you getting at, Toothless._

_I believe it wasn't a Viking that killed Ash. I believe it was a dragon._

Loki's legs suddenly felt weak. _Which means…_

_That someone else knows how to ride us. And they have no qualms about killing other dragons._


	4. Chapter 4

Betrayal. Heartbreak. Pain. Longing. Disloyalty. Treachery. Deceit. No matter how many words you called it, the meaning was still the same. Everyone has experienced it at one time or another. But to turn against your own race and wantonly murder them? Nothing compares to that. Nothing.

_***Toothless***_

Toothless shook his head in sadness. Humans looked like saints compared to the atrocity that had been committed by the unknown dragon. He could see how humans would kill each other—there were so many of them how could they not? But dragons? Dragons were level headed, cool, calm, and able to plan ahead. Granted, a lot of times their emotions overcame them, but mostly they had some sense. They knew better than to attack their own kind.

A soft keening sound caught Toothless's attention. It was Loki. The great dragon had curled up into himself on the grass, whimpering to himself. Toothless wondered idly how such a large beast could appear so small. Loki's small flock merely pressed closer to the big dragon, still in too much shock from the horrors they had witnessed over the past few days to have any kind of rational thought. The fact that a dragon had helped in that destruction had not gotten through their heads yet. And for that, Toothless was happy. He himself could only view the situation at a distance. He could not let the fear he felt at the edges of his mind take over.

_Loki. Take your flock and stay in the one of the empty roosting houses. Take your pick. _Seeing Loki hesitate, Toothless said more forcefully, _Go!_

_Thank you,_ Loki whispered before walking slowly away, his few dragons following him. Something silver glinted where he had been sitting. A helmet. A Viking helmet. Toothless started to say something to Loki but broke off. It could wait. Walking forward he gently picked the helmet up in his mouth and held it out to Astrid. She stared at him for a moment. Humans could be so stupid. Rolling his eyes, Toothless crossed his eyes, looked down at the helmet in his mouth and then back up at her. She had the oddest expression on her face so Toothless kept repeating the look, shaking the helmet towards her in emphasis. Her shoulders started to shake. Annoyed, Toothless turned to Hiccup, only to see him trying not to laugh. He barred his teeth at the idiotic humans and tried to get them to understand once more.

_See? _ He thought to himself. _I'm looking at you, now I'm looking at the helmet, now I'm looking back at you. Here, I'll shake the helmet so you get the idea. We don't want to leave this laying on the ground you know. Come on, come on, take it!_

"AHAHAHAH!" Toothless jumped at the sudden sound, arching his back and flaring his wings slightly. Astrid and Hiccup were rolling on the ground letting out peals of laughter. Something he had done had obviously amused them. Toothless growled softly, letting his anger wash through the growl like the ocean sucking at the rocks. Now was no time for humor. After what had just happened, the two idiot Vikings should be serious! As they continued to laugh he whipped his tail around and smacked them both. Hard. That got them to stop.

"I'm sorry, Toothless," Astrid said as she _finally_ took the helmet, "but you just looked so funny! Whenever you looked down at the helmet you kept crossing your eyes." She started to giggle.

"Cross, un-cross. Cross, un-cross." His rider snorted in laughter. _Oh Hiccup, how you will pay for that comment…_ The dragon thought murderous thoughts about the morons he lived with before grabbing Hiccup's riding gear in his teeth and swinging the boy up onto his back. He landed with a loud thump and a groan. Good. It had hurt. With no further warning, Toothless launched himself into the sky. The boy on his back yelped as he struggled to attach his harness. After a moment of fumbling, Hiccup got it in and pushed his feet all the way into the pedals. Toothless took off like a shot, trying to alleviate some of emotion he was feeling inside.

"Toothless! What is wrong with you? Behave yourself!"

Toothless growled in anger and pulled one wing in, dropping like a stone towards the ocean.

"Toothless! Don't you dar-!"

_Oops. I dared._ Toothless dove into the ocean, letting the icy sea water calm his head. He knew he was being irrational. He knew he would hurt Hiccup for how he was acting. The boy would find some way to blame himself. But the dragon could not help it. Anger boiled in his veins at the betrayal of the unknown dragon. It reminded him too much of his own childhood. He paddled slowly underwater, monitoring Hiccup's heartbeat in the back of his mind. His childhood. Maybe that was why the dragon felt so upset. Maybe that was the cause of all this melodrama. There was no other reason. It had to be this. But why now? Why did he have to hear a story so similar to his own?

Hiccup's heartbeat was speeding up. Toothless threw himself out of the water, beating his wings hard to escape its cold grasp. He glanced back at Hiccup. The boy was shivering. Fighting down the lingering anger, Toothless tipped his wings back to Berk. He flew over the large island, searching for…ah. There it was. He dove into the cove where they had first met, landing gently. Hiccup slid off his back, teeth chattering. Toothless's sharp gaze searched the clearing until he found a dead dry tree, half propped against another one. Dragging it next to a rock where the boy huddled he stomped on it, easily breaking the dry wood. He nudged the pieces into a pile and gently breathed fire on them. The wood caught almost immediately and after a few minutes started to give off heat. Toothless curled himself carefully around Hiccup, letting the boy lean against his warm side.

"Toothless, what's wrong? This isn't like you. Is it because I laughed at you? I'm sorry, but you know I'm joking, right?"

_Hiccup, dear Hiccup, when will you learn?_ Toothless sighed to himself. He was right. Of course Hiccup had found a way to blame it on himself. Toothless knew he could not hide his story forever. Much as he did not want to think of it, to remember the horrible event that had happened all those years ago, he had to. He owed Hiccup. If it wasn't for the silly sniffling boy in front of him, he would have died. Over the years since their first battle they had fought many times again. Whether it was a mock battle or scaring off invading Vikings, they had grown wiser over the years. Hiccup was getting better at being able to truly talk to dragons. For some reason, Toothless felt like their fragile peace was going to be ruined. Taking a deep breath, Toothless carefully felt for Hiccup's mind, trying to project his thoughts to the boy.

_Hiccup? _No answer. Toothless nudged the boy, making sure he was paying attention before trying again. _Hiccup?_

_Toot..._ Hiccup's reply was faint, but it was there.

_Keep trying. You're almost there,_ Toothless encouraged. Hiccup screwed up his face and tried again.

_Toothless?_

_There you go. _The dragon smiled.

_What is going on? What's wrong, Toothless?_

_I have a story to tell you. I don't want to. It is not something I like to think upon. But given the current situation, there is no choice._

_Toothless, what's going on?!_

Toothless sighed. Even after the years they had been together, Hiccup still managed to sound like a lost child, not the hero he had become. _My story starts years and years ago. No, don't ask how long. I won't tell you. Anyway, I was a hatchling, only a year old. I had two brothers and a sister. My family and I lived in a nest high up on the cliffs in a cave, safe from everything. The cave was separated by only a foot of stone from the top of the cliff. It made it easy for us to climb to the top of the cliff and roll in the grass. Other dragons lived there, too. Zipplebacks, Nadders, you know. The same type of dragons that live around here. _Hiccup nodded his head in understanding. _It was spring. My siblings were playing out on the cliff top with my father. I had been staying inside the cave since I was sick. Mother stayed with me. I remember it like it was yesterday…_ Toothless trailed off, his eyes sad.

_Yes?_ Hiccup said eagerly. _What happened?_

_There was a dragon call. It was a Nadder. They had spotted a new dragon. They called hellos to it and it answered. It spiraled down and landed on the cliff top. I could hear my father ask him his name. The dragon didn't answer. He just laughed. It was an evil laugh, not a laugh that comes from a dragon. I don't know how to explain it. It was just…_wrong_. _

_What was he? The other dragon?_

_I don't know. _Toothless closed his eyes as his heart clenched in pain. _My mother was scared. I could smell the fear coming off her in waves. She pushed me to the back of the cave, telling me to be quite. Our cave was riddled with small holes and tunnels from the porous rock. Some of these tunnels were large enough for us hatchlings to crawl into. However, nothing bigger than a Terror would have fit. My mother picked me up and pushed me into one of the holes. _Toothless stopped for a moment, losing himself in the past. _I am crying. I do not understand what is happening. _Hiccup looked hard at Toothless at the change in narration. The dragon had forgotten him altogether, wrapped up in an ancient scene. Suddenly Toothless started talking again.

Mother? _I cry, _What is going on? Who is that dragon?

Hush, child. Please be quite. You must be quiet for Mother, all right? _She keeps glancing from me to the entrance of the cave._

Mother, what about you? Are we hiding?

Yes, dear, you are hiding. Now please be quite. I am going to go back up to the front of the cave. No matter what happens, you must remain silent. I do not want anyone to know you are here. Your father will protect your brothers and sister. Maybe nothing will happen. But you MUST promise me, you will be quite.

_I am crying, sobbing. I am terrified. But I promise. I will not break my word. No matter what happens, I will remain silent. I must. I had promised. I wiggle a little farther back into the tunnel until it becomes too small. I hear a roar suddenly. My father growls. I hear the other dragon growl back. What has happened? There is silence, a silence filled with hate and anger. And then the screaming starts. _

_There are cracks, thuds, the sound of sharp claws scratching on rock, the keen of dragons getting hurt. I hope it is the strange dragon. There are many of us. We will outnumber him. But the sounds continue. How long does it take to kill one dragon? What was going on? More roars fill the air. Mother is at the entrance, looking out. She cannot see what is going on. I hear the tearing sound of claws cutting through wings, and screams of pain. I jump. I recognize that cry. It is my brother. What had happened? Who had hurt him? _

_My body shakes in fear. I should not be afraid. But Mother is afraid. She is shaking too. But she shakes with anger. She is at battle with herself. Protect her hatchling here, or save her other hatchlings? More cries come from above. She decides. She looks at me. Yes, I am to stay here. She flings herself out. _

_Now I am alone. Only the sounds of the battle above me keep me company. I see a dragon fly—no, fall past the cave opening. Its wings are ripped to shreds, its belly torn open. The dragon used to be green. Now it is red. All red. As red as the raw meat I had eaten that morning. A black blur follows it. It moves too fast; I do not know what it is. A Night Fury? No, too large. Another shriek. That sounded like my sister. I hear twin roars of anger and horror. My parents. She is dead. More dragons fly or fall past the cave opening, pursued by those black blurs. So many of them. I wonder if they are helping the lone dragon that had landed here. I am angry. A dragon does not betray its own kind! _

_A crash from above and more keens. More dragons are dead. Dragons are keening for the dead. As time passes-an hour? Two? A few minutes? I cannot tell- the keens stop as well. They stop, abruptly, cut off. They have been killed. How many have died? How many? And where is Mother, Father, Brother? Where? I can only hear the high pitched squeal of our fireballs as Mother and Father fight. We are the only Night Fury family that lives on these cliffs. Mother taught me—we are rare. _

_A ripping sound, directly overhead. I cringe. And then a keen. Yet I recognize this one. It is my mother. And that means only one thing. Father is dead. But how can he be dead? He can't! he can't he can't he can't he can't! A roar, the hiss of gas as a dragon flames another. More shrieks. More dragons are dying. How long will this last? How many of the strange dragons are there? _

_There is a lull in the battle. Even the keening has stopped. For two seconds, everything is still. And then the massacre starts again and the noises run together. I can't tell what is what. I just hide, and stay quiet, like I promised. Like I promised. The noises stop. There is no more screaming. No roars, no keens. Silence. Is it over? _

_I move forward. I freeze. A black shadow blocks out the cave entrance. The cave gets dark. It is like the strange dragon that entered has brought darkness with him. I peer at him. He is big, to me. 30 feet long, at least. He barely fits in the cave. He is black, oh so black. His eyes seem to glow red. But his face. I can't see it. Shadows cling to his hide like they are attached. He is just a swirling black mass of hate. I can smell it. He sniffs. I hold my breath; shut my eyes tight. I will not make a sound. I promised. Promised. Then—he is gone. _

_A call. I recognize the sound. It means 'leave'. Through the cave entrance I see black blurs race away to the horizon. So many of them. 80? 100? Only 60 something dragons live here. Did they kill everyone? No. They can't have. I crawl out of my hole. Drop to the floor. Pad to the entrance. My foot is wet. I look down. I feel sick. Blood is dripping down from the rocks above. It makes a puddle on the floor. I skirt it. Fling myself out of the cave. I flap my wings. They are still small, but just big enough. They lift me the half foot needed to glide onto the cliff top. I land._

Toothless groaned, causing Hiccup to jump. The boy had been so absorbed in the story that he had forgotten where he was. The dragon groaned again, a long, pained sound. Worried, Hiccup put a hand on the dragons head. Images flashed through the boy's mind. Toothless was no longer able to put the scenes into words. It was horrible. The flat cliff top was covered with the dead bodies of dragons. The grass was stained red. Thing that should never see the light of day were littered everywhere. Another picture; Toothless, small, only about a foot high, walking through the horror that had been his life. Intestines clung to his foot, unable to be shaken off. A black shape—his father. Farther on, his mother, her head a few feet away. Another image. Toothless, almost falling as he tripped over a small form his size. His sister. And nowhere, nowhere was there a body of the black devils that had rained death from the sky.

Abruptly, the images stopped. Toothless shook his head, trying to clear the images and thoughts from his mind. His emotions ran high as he remembered that day. Every day, every hour, he was forever reminded of the betrayal done to his family and friends. The dragon started keening, softly, sides vibrating with the pitiful sound. A sob drew his attention to the boy at his side. Hiccup threw his arms around Toothless's neck, sobbing in huge gasps. Toothless felt guilt at what he had done. He had never meant to show the boy that much. Hiccup did not deserve to live through that kind of pain.

The dragon wrapped his tail around the boy and cooed, soothingly, letting the boy cry. Minutes passes as Toothless watched the sun set behind the high walls of the cove. Oddly, he felt almost—at peace. Maybe telling someone else had helped. Maybe. However, it was a great burden to put on someone else. In some ways, too great, Toothless feared. But as the air cooled and the fire died Hiccup sobbed less and sniffled more, till even that had faded into nothing. The boy simply clung to his dragon. Toothless could only stand it for so long, however.

He nudged the boy, motioning for him to let go. Hiccup refused. Growling, Toothless stood up, causing the boy to slide onto the hard dirt with a yelp. Toothless shook his head as the boy jumped up and down, yelling. The tirade fell on deaf ears, however, as Toothless ambled away and slid into the cool water in the middle of the cove.  
"Toothless! Don't you dare get all wet again! I don't want to ride a wet saddle home! Being damp is bad enough! What do you think you are doing? Don't you DARE—"

Toothless shook with laughter as he dove under the water. His good spirit had returned. Hiccup would be all right. From the way he was acting, he had gotten over it in the only way he knew how—by filing it away for another time. The boy had put it out of his mind and pulled himself together. Toothless knew that for many nights thereafter, Hiccup would lie in bed and ponder the story. There was too much to absorb all at once. The dragon was sure that by the time Hiccup was done with the story, Toothless would no longer be a hatchling, but a brave young Night Fury, swooping in to save the hapless dragons being attacked by evil sorcerers but getting knocked out by a spell. Very sad.

The thought made the dragon smile as he cavorted underwater. Yes, he decided, it was the past that had put him in such a bad mood. That, along with Loki's story, so close to his own, had upset the dragon's emotions. There were many implications of Loki's story, but now was not the time to think of them. They would be for tomorrow.

Arching his back as he soared into the air, Toothless let out a roar before dropping down next to Hiccup. Hah. His face was red. He was mad. Hah. It got redder if Toothless shook water on him. Haha! That was funny!

As the dragon's thoughts degraded into random burbles, the sun set for good. A while later, Astrid met a mad and wet Hiccup at the door to his house. At her question, Hiccup muttered something about idiot dragons that felt like swimming all hours of the day and… Astrid laughed and pulled the disgruntled young man into the house, giving him a sound kiss as the door shut.

Toothless smirked at Hiccup's retreating back as the door shut. The boy wouldn't be mad for long if Astrid had anything to do with it. Meanwhile, Toothless went to check to make sure Loki and his flock was all right. Then, it was to bed for the black dragon. Maybe Astrid would have left him one of those fish he liked so much…

**A/N-** Well, there you go. I'm a little nervous about writing from Toothless's point of view, since I can never tell what is "in character" for him, but I had to tell his back story. It's kind of important ;) Well, tell me what you think and please leave suggestions for improvment!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- This is a FLASHBACK to when Loki found the dragons dead, etc. This chapter is retold from Ash's point of view. Merry Christmas!**

_***Ash***_

_Loki? Loki! LOKI! _ Ash kept glancing from Loki to the sky. He rolled his eyes as Loki ignored him. Ash shoved the other dragon with his head, his spikes poking Loki's side. That got a response.

_What! I'm trying to sleep!_

_You gotta look at this! _

_What now…?_ Loki groaned and opened one eye to look at Ash.

_Look! There's a black dot on the horizon! What is it? _It looked so familiar; Ash felt like he should know what it was.

Loki rolled his eyes and heaved himself upright on the sandy spit he had lain down on, squinting at the far off object. _It's a bird. That's all. Now please go away so I can sleep!_

Grumbling, Ash slunk away. He would get no further information from Loki. The Nightmare was a wonderful leader, but sometimes he was just a pain in the scales. Huffing softly, the dragon climbed the tall hill and curled up at the top, gazing at the black dot. It couldn't be a bird, as Loki had said. Birds did not come around here. Birds would not be that far out to ocean. And birds did not circle like that. Ash knew his eyesight was slightly sharper than Loki's, but he still could not place the soaring figure.

He got up and paced, agitated. He felt like there was a fly buzzing somewhere over his head, irritating him because he couldn't catch it. He growled softly.

_Ash?_

_Ellie! _Ash turned to the pale blue Nadder at the bottom of the hill. She cocked her head, an invitation to come down. He spread his dark blue wings and pushed himself into the sky, only to glide down next to her. He pressed his neck to hers. _Why are you up here? Aren't you sleeping with the rest of the dragons?_

She hummed softly. _No. I'm not that tired. And I was worried about you. What were you asking Loki?_

_Look. _Ash gestured with his head. _Do you see that black dot?_

_Yes. _

_What is it? A bird?_

_It's not a bird, _she stated flatly.

_Loki said it was. _Ash tilted his head at Ellie.

_And you believe him?_

A pause. _…No._

_Exactly. You aren't stupid. Neither is Loki. But at the moment Loki is putting his past life out of his mind. We are not. We still remember what is out there. We know how it feels to lose something. And because of that, we are stronger. We question things that seem normal, because often they are not. You know why we are so paranoid._

_Oh, Ellie. Ellie, Ellie, Ellie. I don't ever want to have to choose between saving you and another dragon again. I won't let you die. But I don't want to force my choice on another dragon, making them pay the price._

_Ash, there was nothing you could do! _She twined her neck comfortingly around Ash's. _Faor knew the consequences of his choice. He made you promise that if we were attacked, you would protect me. And we were attacked. And you did protect me. It is not your fault that Faor is dead._

_I know. I know. But Ellie, he was my best friend. We had grown up together as hatchlings. Almost a hundred years is a long time to give up, Ellie._

_Ash, please. We have been over this. It was me or him. You would have chosen me. Faor knew that. And he would not let you live with the guilt of making that choice yourself. So he made it for you._

_I miss him, _Ash said simply.

_I miss him too. I miss them all. They were our family, our friends, and our hunting partners. What happened was not fair, was not right, and never will be. Too be attacked by Vikings—life is never fair. And it happens so often, to so many dragons, that after—_

_Wait. _Ash interrupted, agitated. His tail whipped against the grass.

_What is it?_

_Shush._

_Ash?_

_Please, Ellie, be quite! _Minutes passed. Ellie watched Ash, worried. What had upset him? Finally, he looked at her.

_Ellie?_

_Yes?_

_Do you remember that day we were attacked?_

_Yes. It was evening. I was napping in one of the pine trees. You and Faor were flying overhead, having a contest—_

_A game. _Ash's voice was quiet. _We were playing a game. And all of a sudden, Faor stopped playing. He hovered, staring at something. And then he looked at me and said, "_Do you see that?"_ I had scanned the skyline. A few black dots in front of a cloud were all I saw. _"No, just some storm clouds. Why?"_ He had shook his head, and seemed to forget it. We went back to our game. I forgot about the interlude immediately. I shouldn't have. His eyesight was better than mine, even though we were both Nadders. Well, we played our game for a while longer and then we landed on the branch next to you._

_Yes. You two were laughing, shaking the branch to annoy me. And then Faor glanced back at the sky and suddenly stopped. _Ellie looked at Ash, unsure why he was reliving the pain of that day so long ago.

_Faor turned back to me. He had the strangest expression on his face. I was confused at what was wrong. He kept looking between me and you._

_And suddenly, _Ellie continued the story, _he focused on you and said, _"Ash? Promise me something."_ You answered—_

"Yes, of course. What is it?" _And Faor looked at me and said, very slowly_, "Promise me, that if anything ever happened, you would protect Ellie first. If anything ever happens to our flock, even if it is a choice between another dragon and Ellie, that you will protect Ellie. Even if it is a choice between protecting me and protecting Ellie, you will pick Ellie first. Even if I die because of it. Promise me!" _He scared me, in that moment. But he was my best friend. I would promise him anything. And I did. I promised him I would protect you. And you know what? I think he knew. I think he realized that those black dots weren't just part of a storm cloud. He had a feeling things were going to change, and he wanted to make sure we were safe, even if he died because of it._

_He made a great choice, _Ellie said simply.

_A great choice, yes. And then we were attacked. Those gods forsaken Vikings overran our island and laid waste to our homes. I still don't know how they found us; how they managed to take us by surprise so quickly. And I had to make a choice: you or him. And I had promised. I chose you. And I will always choose you, you know that, Ellie. But it pains me that he had to give himself up to save us._

_You will always feel pain. There is nothing you can do. You cannot change anything. Let us simply honor the memory of what he did. But what does any of this have to do with shushing me and what you were thinking about?_

Ash started pacing again. _Those black smudges on the horizon that day…they remind me of the black dot out there. _He jerked his head towards the now empty horizon. _But I don't understand. That circled, it moved like a bird. It can't be a ship. I thought it was. That is what startled me. I thought, "Maybe Loki doesn't want to recognize it because it reminded him of his old life". But we haven't forgotten what a ship is, or who Vikings are. I thought the same thing that happened to our old home was happening again. It looks so much like those black dots that day…the ones Faor spotted. It just—it's just that—they…! _Ash trailed off in anger at his inability to express his thoughts.

_It's ok. I think I understand, _Ellie soothed. _The black dot you saw today looks like the one Faor saw. However, this one moves, while those stayed still, right?_

_Yes._

_Are you sure they didn't move?_

…_What?_

Ellie tried again. _Are you sure the things Faor saw didn't move?_

_Well, I mean, they were just black splotches in front of a bunch of clouds. I don't think they were moving…_

_All right. Then this probably isn't the same thing. Maybe it's a lone dragon. We don't know. But we are safe here, so please, let it go._

_But—_

_Ash, no. Let it go. If it affects us, we will find out in time. Come, let us sleep._ Ellie smiled calmly at the still agitated dragon.

_Thank you, Ellie, but I'm just not that tired right now. Go lay down. I need some fresh air to clear my head. I'll join you in a few hours, alright?_

_Alright, Ash. I'll save you a spot next to me._

_Ellie?_

The female dragon turned, caught by his tone. _Yes?_

_I love you._

_I love you too. _Ellie smiled and walked up to Ash. They touched foreheads, spikes clicking softly against each other. Then Ellie turned and took to the air, flying to the cavern for a warm afternoon nap.

_I love you…_ Ash whispered as he watched Ellie fly away. Gods, but she was beautiful. What did he ever do to deserve her? Smiling to himself, Ash took to the air as well, landing on the top of the hill again. He settled down and stared out at the ocean, searching for that illusive little black smear on the clear sky. However, it had disappeared.

Ash was unwilling to admit to Ellie that he honestly did not remember if the things Faor saw were moving or not. Ash himself had not looked at them for long. But one thing was certain. Whatever it was, it was not a Viking ship as he had feared. Viking ships did not circle that quickly. Yet it was too large for a bird. If anything, it was a dragon. But the only black dragon Ash had heard of was that strange Night Fury, Toothless, that Loki had said lived with the Vikings. That was before Loki stopped talking about his past all together. The large dragon seemed to be happy to forget the past altogether.

Maybe it was a dragon. Maybe it was simply traveling with a ship, and had been scouting ahead, or stretching its wings or…there were many things a dragon might be doing. Ash nodded to himself. That must be it. It must have been Toothless traveling with one of the dragon friendly Viking ships. That would explain the size and the flying pattern.

Pleased with himself, Ash lay back down on the hill top, deciding that he would take his nap up here in the fresh air. His eyes were just sliding shut as he heard a faint patter of feet. He raised his head as a tiny dragon toddled unsteadily up the hill. It was Avalon, a tiny purple Aquer. As far as Ash knew, at the age of month, she had never left the nest or her mother. So why had she come up here?

_Avalon? Is something wrong? Why are you up here?_

A pause. Then, slowly, stumbling, she answered. _I-I-I want-t-ted to s-see y-y-you. _She sat back, pleased with herself for getting through a whole sentence.

_All right, _Ash said amiably. _But why did you want to see me?_

_ Y-y-you're n-nice! Y-y-you p-p-played w-with me._

_ Why so I did! _Ash had forgotten about it completely. It had happened a few weeks ago. Avalon's mother, Sha, had asked Ash if he could watch her hatchlings while she went and got something to eat. Ash had agreed; all the babies were asleep. As Ash had drowsed next to the little dragons, one had yawned, showing a pink mouth and tiny teeth. It had opened its eyes and looked into Ash's. He had explained that its mother had left to eat and asked the little dragon what's its name was. It had answered, with much stuttering, "_A-A-Avalon. I-I-I a g-girl!" _Ash had laughed at her statement and played keep-away with his tail. Avalon had spent the next half hour happily chasing Ash's tail till her mother came home.

_C-can I s-s-sleep with y-y-you? _She said now.

_ Come here, _Ash said, smiling. Avalon curled up between his front feet and Ash arranged himself gently around her.

_H-h-hey._

_ Yes?_

_ W-w-what w-w-would y-y-you do if Loki c-came and k-killed m-me?_

_ What? That's a horrible thing to say! Loki would never do that!_

_ I k-know t-that! _Avalon giggled. Somehow, it seemed like a joke to her.

_Well, I would protect you. But I made a promise, a long time ago, to my best friend that I would always protect Ellie first. So I would protect Ellie, and then I would protect you._

_ R-r-really? Y-y-you p-promise? _A tiny purple face lifted, eyes seeking his.

_Why yes. I think all the dragons would try to protect each other. Why?_

_ I-It means w-we are f-f-friends t-then!_

Ash shook his head at this strange logic. _Well, yes, I guess so. But remember, friendship isn't determined by if someone will die for you._

_ O-oh?_

_ No, _Ash laughed. Babies came up with the oddest things. _Now go to sleep, I'm tired. _Avalon purred softly, the simple sound lulling Ash into a sound sleep.

He awoke to the sound of soft sneaking footsteps. Human footsteps. Ash's head shot up, eyes searching the gathering twilight. He took the scene in in seconds. Avalon was still curled up between his legs. And a human, a Viking, was sneaking up the hill towards him, an axe poised at its side. He had to warn Ellie and the other dragons.

Before he had a chance to reach out his mind to search for the other dragons, however, two things happened. The human started to run, swinging the axe with a battle cry and Ash jumped up with a growl, now completely focused on the Viking. Ash raised his wings to jump in the air, but stopped with them half spread. Avalon still lay at his feet. If he flew away, the human would kill the little dragon. He would have to pick her up, ignore the human, and fly down to Ellie. His hesitation, however, was his undoing. By the time Ash was reaching for Avalon, the Viking was upon him, swinging that axe in a deadly curve meant to sever his head from his neck. Ash stumbled backwards, hearing the hiss of the metal inches away.

_A-Ash! _Avalon was terrified, sounding on the verge of tears.

_Avalon. Move to the edge of the hill. Stay out of the way._ Ash grunted as he dodged another axe stroke. Stumbling a little, Avalon complied. Concentrating on the fight only partially, Ash reached his mind out to Ellie, seeking her comforting presence. It was a mistake. The human's axe grazed his side, leaving a stinging bloody gash.

Ash cursed his luck. Dragon's had no trouble communicating with each other. However, for some reason no one was able to figure out, Nadders had trouble contacting dragons when there were more than few 100 feet away, especially if they did not concentrate completely on just that. And Ellie was defiantly farther. The cavern was a mile and a half long and wide below him and Ellie loved to sleep at the very edge where the hill sloped back into the ground. Usually, Ash did not mind, since it was warmer there anyway, but now the situation was deadly. She was too far away to hear his mind call, almost half way across the small island. And there was Avalon. But he had to protect Ellie. Ash was torn, feeling the weight of a choice he had never wanted to make again. If he could only kill this blasted Viking!

"You vile _pant_ disgusting _pant_ slaughtering _pant_ bastard!"

Ash crouched to duck another axe swing, mildly surprised that the human spoke. He wouldn't put it past the idiots to speak in grunts. Ash shook his head. The stress was making him feel giddy, his thoughts running in disjointed circles. Seeing an opening, he smacked the human with a foot. The Viking went tumbling over the hills edge and lay still on the slope. Deciding to ignore the motionless human for a moment—it looked like he had knocked the Viking out, anyway— Ash sent a querying thought out as far as he could, hoping a dragon would answer.

Mindy's answer came covered in pain and fear. _Help us! They are killing, oh they are killing everyone! We can't fight them all!_

_ Mindy! What is going on?_

_ Ash! _A pause. She was fighting. _We are in the cavern. They have killed almost everyone. It's a massacre. We had no warning._

Ash cast his mind out once more, searching for Ellie, putting his all into it. Blank silence met his search. That should not happen. She might not answer, but he should have felt her. Maybe she had flown away…

_Mindy. Where is Ellie? I can't find her!_

The pause stretched longer than Ash wanted. He searched the air for any of the dragons. One or two flew through the air, flaming the ground, but that was it. He quickly saw that Vikings had over run their island, ships standing like silent sentries off the edge of the beach. Avalon had shrunk into the grass on the hill top, barely visible. Ash walked towards her, reaching out a foot to scoop her up as Mindy finally answered.

_Ash. I'm…they came so quick. We didn't stand a chance. It's like they were cloaked in…in magic or something! We couldn't hear them, couldn't see them, nothing. Most of us were dead before we even noticed they were there. Something evil is at work here._

_ Mindy! Where. Is. __**Ellie**__!?_

_ She's…dead._

Ash froze, his blood turning to ice. He stood there in shock, refusing to accept it. He called for Ellie, his pride, his joy, his love, one more time. There was no answer. Ash let out a scream, horror overpowering his mind. His heart felt like it was breaking, cracking in two. He stumbled, collapsing, wailing, onto the grass, Avalon forgotten. He had failed his promise. No matter what had happened, or the circumstances that had brought this on, it was his fault. He had promised Faor, and now two dragons were dead because of him. He wanted to die. Looking at the Vikings roiling in groups below him, Ash vowed to do just that. He had no reason to live anymore. But he would take as many of those gods' forsaken murders with him as he could.

_ A-Ash! _Avalon's frightened scream brought him back to the situation at hand. He paused, torn between his still standing promise to the baby Aquer and the unspeakable pain inside him. But he had promised. And even though he had broken one promise to Ellie, he would not break his last one. He would protect Avalon till he found another dragon to take care of her. Then he would throw himself at the… the… Vikings. Ash could not think of a word strong enough to call them.

_A-Ash!_ Avalon squealed again. Ash jerked himself out of thoughts and locked the pain away in his heart. He would concentrate on this job for now. There would be time for anger later.

_It's ok,_ Ash said as he turned away from the edge of the hill and walked towards where Avalon now huddled in the middle of the hill. _What's wrong?_

_ A-Ash! A-a-abov—_

Avalon was cut off as a black shape hurtled out of now where and slammed into Ash, bearing him to the ground. Ash roared in anger, thrashing under the heavy dragon as it dug it's claws into his exposed belly. This was not Toothless. The dragon was bigger than what Loki had described, though Ash could barely make out the dragon's shape. Shadows seemed to swirl around the dragon's shape, hiding it, although it could have been induced by the pain that was shooting through Ash's body. The strange dragon snarled at him and words fell into his mind, burning like fire and slick like oil.

_Hold still, you vile beast. _

_ No! _Ash shrieked, renewing his struggles. He had to protect Avalon, he had to kill these Vikings, he had to have revenge, he had too…he had too…He would not give into the darkness that was clouding his eyes. He could not. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Avalon backing away again to the far edge of hill, as far away as she could get without falling.

The strange dragon growled and dug his claws in harder. Blood poured from the wounds. Ash gasped and panted as the dragon's claws punctured an organ. It was suddenly hard to breath. Blood gurgled in the back of his throat.

_There we go. This is your rightful place. Under me. Now, you shall die._ The black fiend laughed softly.

_No…_ Ash could not seem to find the strength to keep struggling. His situation came crashing back down on him, causing more pain than the dragon on top of him. His home had been attacked again. Most, if not all, of his friends were dead. He had broken his promise. Ellie was _dead_. Dead. And he was pinned underneath this great black dragon that only intended death for its victim. If Ash died, he would be breaking another promise, to Avalon.

The thought raised what little fight he had left and he thrashed wildly, rolling, trying to get the black beast off. The other dragon, surprised, let go of Ash and flung himself free into the air, large wings beating slowly. Ash got to his feat unsteadily and stumbled falteringly to where Avalon lay in the grass. He gasped with every step. There wasn't enough air. The dragon must have hit his lung. Why wasn't there enough air?

A thought occurred to him. This strange dragon was the dot circling on the horizon he had seen. It must have been. It was not Toothless, scouting for a friendly Viking ship, it was a black-scaled, black-hearted psychopath, leading a homicidal group of Vikings to be the dragons' death. The ebony dragon seemed to have faded into the night sky, undistinguishable. Ash did not care to think why it had not attacked again. Probably it liked watching him suffer. This train of thought led to another, even as he stumbled and almost fell. When his home got attacked…parts of the conversations with Ellie and his own thoughts came rushing back to him.

"…_he looked at me and said, "_Do you see that?"_ I had scanned the skyline. A few black dots in front of a cloud were all I saw."_

"_I think he realized that those black dots weren't just part of a storm cloud."_

"_Those gods forsaken Vikings overran our island and laid waste to our homes. I still don't know how they found us; how they managed to take us by surprise so quickly."_

"_Those black dots on the horizon that day…they remind me of the black dot out there."_

"_Are you sure the things Faor saw didn't move?"_

_I didn't tell Ellie, but I honestly don't remember if the things Faor saw were moving or not…_

…_Yet it was too large for a bird. If anything, it was a dragon…_

As Ash staggered the last few feet to Avalon, his blood staining the grass, the pieces of conversation slid together and clicked like a puzzle. Suddenly everything made sense. The day his home got attacked, today, the black dots in the sky, everything. The black dots were the heartless black dragons. They were working with Vikings, somehow, leading them to dragon nests and sometimes helping the Vikings kill the resident dragons. They had brought the Vikings to Ash's old home and now his new one. How many times had this happened? How many had paid the price? This was not murder, this was genocide.

A final step and Ash collapsed half on top of Avalon. Making an effort, he lifted his body slightly so the little dragon could pull herself out from under him more. She stayed tucked half under his body, covered by his wings, which flopped awkwardly over the grass. Smoke filled the air, its bitter smell making him cough out air he didn't have. Where _had_ all the air gone? You didn't realize how much you needed it until it was gone.

Wings beat the air and Ash watched tiredly as the black dragon picked up the Viking who Ash thought he had knocked unconscious. The Viking was unaware no longer and quickly scrambled onto the beast's back, motioning to where Ash lay defenseless on the grass. The black dragon soared up into the air before circling before aiming back down towards Ash. _Loki will never be able to figure out what happened_. Ash thought idly. _Prints coming up the hill, but not going back down? No dead Viking? No weapon? No marks to show that a dragon was here? It will drive him nuts. If he is still alive…_

The black dragon was spiraling down slowly, claws splayed. Ash closed his eyes for a moment as the pain in his chest and belly almost made him black out. He wished he had. Where was all the air? Ash knew he only had moments left to live.

_Avalon? Please listen to me, _he whispered. _I'm sorry it came to this. I'm sorry you had to see all this. I'm sorry that I'm about to die. But I'm keeping my promise to you. I'm protecting you to the end. Avalon, you are my friend. No matter what happens, you are my friend, and I do not regret saving you. _Ash knew the power guilt could have on someone. He would not force it on any dragon, especially one as innocent as Avalon. _I…I wish I had a chance to play with you again, to watch you grow up into the beautiful dragoness I know you will._

_Ash! _Avalon was crying. He could feel her tiny body shake.

Ash laughed weakly. _You didn't stutter…_

_Now, _came the nauseating voice of the black dragon that hovered over his body, _you will die! _It raised a claw, ready to strike.

_I wonder…_ Ash whispered. The dragon paused, nonplussed. It did not expect it's victim to speak. Ash finished his sentence. _ I wonder if I will see Ellie again. _Peace came over him at the thought, washing away the horrible, horrible pain. His dear, sweet, beautiful Ellie. A dragoness gorgeous enough to rival the finest the dragon race had to offer. He thought of her unconditional love, her kindness towards others, her lovely eyes that would light up whenever she saw him. He thought of the nights that they had spent together, comforting each other after their home was destroyed. He thought of happier times, when they came to this island. When they would lie out under the stars, whispering to each other as their heads rested on each other's backs. He thought of the jokes they had shared, and the sound of her clear laughter ringing through the air like bells. Of her soft touch when she brushed noses with him or touched her forehead to his. Of her long dainty spikes, gleaming white in the sun, or her blue shimmering scales, as blue as the ocean on a summer day. Mostly, he thought of his love for her, and her love for him. It had brought them together and bound them close. Death would not separate them. And the one hope Ash held onto was that if he was to die, at least he would see her again.

As the black dragon screamed in rage and brought its claw slashing down on Ash's exposed neck and everything went black, Ash had only one final thought.

_Ellie, I love you._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N- 500+ visitors, wow! Never thought the story would be that popular. Not much action in this chapter, but it was a needed interlude. Things will pick up soon. **

** Special thanks to divergary for the lovely reviews!**

*****_**Unknown**_*****

Ebony wings swept through the still air, circling high above a Viking ship. Cruel thoughts filled the being's mind, mirroring those of the humans below. These worthless pieces of meat that called themselves "dragons" did not deserve to soar in his domain. They only deserved to die, to give up their strength to him. He was a vengeful god, and they were his sacrifices. And that would be how it stayed. He wished he could rain hellfire on the islands they passed, killing every dragon in sight. However, he was alone. He was without backup. The ship and he must travel far before he would be in his homeland. Then—then he would plan his retribution.

*****_**Loki**_*****

Four days had passed since Loki and his flock had arrived on Berk. It had been agonizing for the large dragon to sit and do nothing, watching as the world turned around him. However, many things had needed doing. Foremost, his flock had needed to rest and heal their broken hearts. All Loki had done since that morning was wake up, eat a ton of fish, take a nap, have a snack, shift positions, sleep, and now poke his head out the door. The past days had been exactly the same.

"Stoic? Stoic! DAD!" Hiccup staggered on the uneven ground before gaining his footing and yelling for his father again. Loki was fascinated by how, even though the boy had lost his leg, he still managed to get around. Even when he had lived in the village he would sometimes stop and stare at the boy, his sharp eyes tracking Hiccup's halting gate. "**DAD**!" The boy shouted again. He was developing a good set of lungs.

"What, Hiccup, what?" The person in question lumbered out of the main hall, face red. Loki guessed that the chief was not happy at being interrupted. He had been in a meeting all day with the other Vikings, discussing the best course of action.

"What is going on?" Hiccup asked for what had to be the millionth time that day. Uninterested, Loki turned away, only to look up again as Toothless joined him by the dragon houses.

_Good day, Loki. _

_ Good day, Toothless._

_ How is your flock?_

_ Tired. Very tired. But they are recovering, slowly._

Toothless shifted and sighed. _No dragon should have to deal with a betrayal like that. And yet, so many of us do…_ He trailed off, eyes distant.

_Toothless?_ Loki shifted uncomfortably at the smaller dragon's tone. If he didn't know better, he would think that Toothless had experienced the same thing…but the moment was gone as Toothless focused back on Loki and answered his question.

_I'm sorry. I am tired as well. Hiccup and I have had to run many errands over the past few days. Things have been busy. I fear most for Hiccup. He is worn out but he will not rest._

_ I agree, _Loki said. _Even I can see it. This news has troubled everyone. By the way, how do the Vikings know what happened to me and my flock?_

Toothless yawned and settled down on the grass, Loki soon following his example. The black dragon's eyes constantly followed Hiccup as the boy talked to his father. Yawning again, Toothless continued.

_The day that you arrived here, I told Hiccup a story about when I was a hatchling. It was not…pretty, but he needed to know. The next day, I told him the story you told me. That ended up taking all day, as he was already worn out from listening to me the night before. He is still not strong enough to commune with dragons regularly or for long periods of time._

Loki nodded in understanding. _At least he is trying. That is more than can be said for most. How long have you two been practicing?_

_Months…I cannot even remember how long anymore. _Toothless shook his head. _We are able to have short conversations easily, but it is long stories that really wear him out. The gift is so diluted by now…_

_What about his cousin? Does he show any talent? _Loki asked.

Toothless laughed harshly. _Him? No. I think I would die before I saw him able to talk to a dragon. And that is being kind. He is just not the sort who has the patience to try for a long time. He is a fighter; Hiccup is a listener. _

Loki smiled at the thought of Hiccup's well meaning but erring cousin. _Go on, Toothless._

Toothless rearranged his wings and continued. _Well, yesterday Hiccup retold your story to Stoic, who then had Hiccup repeat it to Gobber. Gobber had the smart idea of having Hiccup simply tell it to the entire Viking counsel in one go, rather than keep repeating it. After that, I literally had to drag Hiccup away before the counsel tore him apart. I dropped him off with Astrid, where I understand he had a very pleasant evening._

_Good, he earned it. _Loki said as he smiled at the thought of quiet, shy, Hiccup and the forceful, outgoing Viking female together. After a moment he shook the thought away and concentrated on the events at hand, continuing his questioning. _So what is happening today? I am tired of sitting here and doing nothing. Even my flock is tired of it, although I wish they would get more rest. We want revenge._

Toothless sighed. _The counsel has been in a meeting all day with Stoic arguing about what should be done. I am hopeful that they will join us in their ships and help us fight these traitors._

_ And if the Vikings choose not to? _Loki asked.

_ Then the dragons will still leave to fight. _Toothless answered. _ Hiccup has already told me he would like to come, and I believe Astrid will as well. _The black dragon's eyes strayed towards the main hall where Hiccup and Stoic still conversed.

Loki blinked slowly, absorbing the news, before replying. _Then for all our sakes, I hope the Vikings help us. Even with all the dragons behind us, we need the raw power the Vikings provide if we hope to win._

Toothless's tail thumped the ground in irritation. _I know. I know. Maybe if we leave they will be swayed to help us. However, I hope it does not come to that. The Vikings will probably talk for the rest of the day. Why don't you rest up a little more? I believe that events will pick up tomorrow. Either way, we will be leaving in only a few days. Loki, you _must_ be well rested by then._

_ And what about you, Toothless? You must take a break._ Loki saw Toothless hesitate, looking at Hiccup. _Come. Hiccup will be fine on his own. Would you join me for some fish?_

_ Well…_Toothless looked at the boy once more and then back to Loki. _What kind of fish is it?_

Loki laughed as he led the black dragon into the dragon roost. The rest of the day was spent eating and sleeping in the sun, as well as formerly introducing Toothless to the rest of Loki's flock. That night, as Loki watched the stars wheel by, he could still hear the murmur of the humans talking. The words ran together like a summer brook, lulling him to sleep. He only hoped that by morning they would have reached a decision.

Loki decided there was only one thing in life he wanted right now: to never be woken by screaming again. The night had passed quietly enough, but as the sun just started to peak over the horizon Loki's poor ears had been assaulted by noise.

_LOKI! LOKI! LOKI! _Mindy's high pitched voice cut through Loki's sleep hazed mind.

Loki groaned and rolled over, hoping it would go away. He had been having such a lovely dream…he had been talking to Ash, and…

_LOKI! _ The voice was insistent.

_All right, all right, I'm up! _Loki heaved himself to his feet, stretched, and stumbled out the door into the fresh morning air. Yawning once more he turned back to the excited dragons that suddenly surrounded him. _Now, what is going on?_

_Loki! Loki! Have—_

_ We can do it—_

_ We want our revenge—_

_ When can we—_

_ You must take action—_

_ How long until—_

Loki shook his head under the onslaught of questions the dragons poured on him. _Slow down, slow DOWN! _They stopped. _Now, can _one_ dragon here explain what is going on?_

Tristan took the initiative and stepped up, settling his blue-green wings. _The counsel has reached a decision. Hiccup came tearing in here this morning, spit out the news, and left immediately. We woke you as soon as we heard._

_ And? _Loki shifted impatiently. _What did they decide?_

Tristan was quiet for a long moment. Loki felt fear start to set in. They could not fight this alone. The Vikings had to help them! _They…they…._ Tristan paused again.

Loki growled. _If you drag this out any longer, I will personally throw you off a cliff. _

Tristan smiled at the empty threat. Both dragons knew Loki would never do that. _They agreed to help us!_

Loki was silent for a long moment as the news sank in. They would help. The Vikings would help the dragons. Relief roared through his veins, washing away fears he hadn't even realized were there.

Tristan continued, laughing softly. _I'm sorry I drug it out, but really, I had to._

Loki smiled in return. _Of course I understand…but I'm still going to throw you off that cliff!_

_ Hey! At least I told you!_ The two dragons grappled good naturedly, rolling around on the grass before flailing down the slight hill in front of the roost.

Aroused by the noise, Toothless pricked his ears inside of Hiccup's house, picking up the faint sounds of the mock fight outside. His sharp eyes followed Loki and Tristan through the window for a moment, until he settled back down to sleep. A smile graced his face. They were healing. Now, however, was a time for sleep. There would be much planning later.


	7. Chapter 7

*****_**Unknown***_

The black winged being soared through the air again, shadowing the ship below. Days had past. More dragons had been destroyed. A few had escaped, but he had taken special pleasure in killing them. Slowly, slowly, he was traveling home. But how long would it take?! The being eyed the ship below, wondering if he really needed their alliance or if he could just kill them all now and save himself some hassle. No. He needed them. It angered him that he had to accept the help the Vikings gave. It was like a constant thorn in his side, reminding him of what he could not yet achieve. But soon. Soon he would have his revenge.

The being pulled his wings in tight and dove towards the water, pulling up at the last second before soaring into the air again. Elation suddenly filled his mind. In only a few short days, he would lay waste to the one place these pathetic dragons called home. He would leave a mark on their island so glaring, none could ignore it. They would see the god that he was.

***Toothless***

"…And I still have to work in the forge, and I need to fix your saddle, and I need armor or something…I mean, don't I? Yes, I do. And then I need to check on Astrid's gear, and then you need to be fed, and then I need to pack my bag, and then I need to talk to Stoic, and Fishlegs, and then I need to help in the forge, and check your gear, and…"

_HICCUP!_ Toothless shouted at the frantic boy. Hiccup covered his ears at the roar, not concentrating hard enough to hear the word Toothless had shouted with his mind. However, the point was still made. Hiccup stopped.

"Sorry, Toothless. I've just been a little stressed lately."

Toothless hummed softly and butted his head against Hiccup's chest, almost pushing the boy over. Laughing, Hiccup started to scratch the dragon's neck. Toothless groaned softly in happiness as he pushed himself into the boys scratching fingers. It felt so good! Hiccup always managed to find the one spot Toothless could never quite reach. After a moment, Hiccup patted Toothless's neck and walked outside, off to finish one of the many chores he had been listing all day. Toothless followed slowly, debating whether or not to follow Hiccup or lay in the sun. Seeing Jorn, the only adult Aquer in Loki's flock that had survived the attack, Toothless made up his mind and joined the small dragon on the hill.

_Jorn, correct? _Toothless asked.

_Yes. Hello, Night Fury. _The dark blue Aquer settled his wings slightly so Toothless could lie down.

_What do you make of our village? I know you have never experienced anything like this before. _Toothless was honestly interested to know the answer.

Jorn paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. _It is…strange. Vikings…we have seen them before. But always, always on their way to war. Never at peace. Not like here. Here, you look around, and dragons are helping Vikings. Vikings are helping dragons. They are partners. I can't decide if this is reality or a dream. It is just so—_

_ Unreal? _Toothless interrupted. Jorn nodded in agreement. Toothless smiled slightly. _Yes, I guess it is unreal. I still do not know how Hiccup managed to pull it off. But he did. That boy has more bravery than most realize. _

The two dragons lapsed into silence for a few minutes before Jorn asked, _So what exactly is the plan then?_

_The past two days have been spent readying the ships, fixing armor, making more weapons, packing food—_

Jorn laughed. _ You've been around Hiccup all day, haven't you?_

Toothless gave him a confused look. _ Yes, why?_

_You sound like him!_

Growling, Toothless replied, _Do you want to hear the plan or not?_

_Yes, I'm sorry._

Shaking his head, Toothless continued. _As I was saying, the past few days of been chaos as the Vikings try to get everything organized. Preparations will still take at least two more days. The plan is to sail out the day after that._

Jorn nodded. _What made the Vikings decide to help, anyway?_

_I think a large factor was Hiccup. Stoic would be more swayed to help his son than if someone else asked for the same thing. However, it seems to be that the Viking counsel decided that if rogue dragons and Vikings are out murdering dragons, that we are in danger. Which is true. Hundreds of dragons live on this island now, and many more in the surrounding area. They would fight back, if we were attacked, but I do not think Berk can stand a surprise attack by dragons and Vikings._

_I see. _Jorn nodded slowly. _My next question: how will we find the murderers that destroyed our home?_

Toothless remained silent for a long time. _I don't know. I'm guessing that the Vikings will try to collect information. Incidents like this would not go unheard of. Our dragons can ask wild dragons, so on and so forth, till we find the direction we need to sail._

_It sounds like a plan. A shaky plan, granted, but a plan none the less. _Jorn stood up and turned to Toothless. _One last thing…how many Vikings are going?_

_Almost all. The old, the young, and the weak are staying behind, as are some of the warriors and dragons. Fortunately Stoic knows that it would not be a good idea to leave the island completely unguarded._

Jorn nodded. _Do you know how long this quest will take us?_

The black dragons sighed heavily before answering. _I don't know. Too long, I'm afraid._

_Thank you, Toothless. _Jorn spread his wings and threw himself into the sky. Toothless watched the smaller dragon soar out over the water and felt a pang on longing. How he wished he could do that. Years and years of flying, cut away in a moment. Of course, now Hiccup went flying with him whenever possible, but it wasn't the same. He longed for the power to throw himself in the air whenever he wanted, circling and spiraling, without having to rely on another person. Morosely, the black dragon lay on the hilltop, gazing at the clear blue sky and wishing.

*****_**Loki**_*****

Things had moved quickly since Loki had found out that the Vikings would help. However, for Loki, they weren't moving fast enough. Time seemed to crawl by, slowing with each passing second. The red and orange Nightmare had finally fled the village for a peaceful flight over Berk. The land sweeping by below him helped to ease his nervousness. To Loki, the world seemed small. He had only known life in the dragons' nest, then Berk, and lastly his now destroyed home. Granted, he had visited a few of the surrounding islands, but Loki got the feeling that there was much more to this world.

Loki shook his head; what was he thinking? He needed to focus. He had filled in all the dragons as much as possible about the Vikings and the phantom dragon. The Vikings had poured over the helmet he had brought back, but could not decipher what clan it belonged to. They were now outfitting their knarr ships for the long journey. Loki thought they were odd ships. They were about 54 feet long, two feet longer than his length. It was ship mostly used for travel or making long journeys, making it perfect for this expedition. They were also capable of holding large amounts of weight, ensuring that it would be a perfect vessel for the dragons, even the large ones, to land on when they tired of traveling. The Vikings were putting skeleton crews on each vessel to ensure that they could crew as many knarr as possible. This left more room for the dragons to rest. The plan was to sail to the nearby islands, slowly working outwards until information was found about the location of the strange Vikings and dragon. The Berkian dragons would fly overhead, landing on the boats for rest when needed. The constant rotation of dragons would allow them all to keep flying for hours and hours.

Tilting his wings, Loki flew back towards the port, circling as he watched the coming and goings below. Hiccup had explained the advantages of the knarr ship over the longship to Loki earlier, although Loki really couldn't see the difference. Assumingly, the Knarr was shorter in length and higher and wider than a longship, making it more suitable for large cargo. It also only required five men to row it as the ship mostly relied on its large square sail for wind power. Once having explained this, Hiccup had then launched into some long technical explanation about how the ships were made, how he would fix some of the flaws, and…then Stoic had found him and asked him for advice on something and Loki had been spared the details of how exactly the rudder was made.

Loki smiled to himself as he flew. Hiccup always seemed to be tinkering with something. Loki circled again before landing in the center of the village, calm again. He wished there was something he could do to help speed things up, but for now he would have to wait and leave it to the humans. Maybe Mindy would go fishing with him later… 

*****_**Unknown**_*****

The black being swooped down and landed on the deck of the ship he had been flying with. The Vikings sailed in silence, closing in on the island they had been traveling to for the past two days. The time had finally come. The dragon's home lay before them, quiet and unaware. The black being shifted in anticipation, eager to sink his teeth into weak dragon flesh.

"Hush," the Captain said, drawing close. The Viking's red beard was wild and untamed, and his clothes were old and worn, a crazy patchwork of cast offs like the rest of his crew. He did not look the part of his role, nor cared. The whole crew was touched in the head, as far as the being was concerned. Still. They could fight, and they could sail, and they had plenty of hate to spread around. That was all he needed.

"We are only about an hour away if the wind holds. We shall attack as night falls. I suggest you stay here on the ship so there is less chance of being seen. We will circle around the edge of the island at dusk and take them in a frontal assault. This is our biggest battle yet, however, and we will need your help. Do you understand, Vashdin?"

The dark being nodded. He understood. Tonight was the night that all would bow to him.


	8. Chapter 8

*****_**Blesi**_*****

The blue Nadder preened her scales one more time, admiring her reflection in the small lake. Deciding that she was perfect, she lifted her wings and soared into the air, reveling in the feeling of the cool air across her scales. Berk's landscape slid away below her as she flew back to the village. Night was falling and strange scents were carried on the breeze. Blesi paid them little mind as she swooped and dived through the air. She was in no hurry to return. The dragons would be leaving with the ships in the morning and Runa had promised to make sure no one ate her dinner, so she could take one last bath. During the search for the unknown Vikings, who now how often she would be able to properly get clean? Deciding that dinner could wait a little longer, the blue dragon curved away from the town and flew along the coastline.

The moon was starting to rise, peaking out of the few clouds that littered the sky. The silvery rays reflected off her scale and Blesi cavorted in the beams. After a moment, though, she continued her flight around the edge of the large island. The rugged coastline passed silently, coated in pale silver. The water was calm for once, lapping gently at the small beaches. A large ship left ripples in the water, the only thing disturbing the calm.

A seabird shrieked, causing her to look up. It flew away from her, back towards its home on one of the many cliffs. The temperature was dropping quickly now that night had fallen and Blesi turned her wings for home. She hovered for a moment, considering a flight over land or by coast. Over land would be quicker. Maybe she could beat that ship to port. It had been moving pretty fast with one of the currents. That decided it. Inland it was. She tipped her wings and swung around, flapping quickly for home. And yet, something bugged her. She couldn't quite put a claw on it. She decided it was because it was late and she was hungry. That must be it. Although, it was odd for a fishing ship to be out this late…a fishing ship…ship…wait.

Blesi froze in mid-air, dropping several feet before continuing to flap. She twisted back towards the water, flying as hard as she could. That hadn't been a fishing ship. The shape was all wrong. Even though she knew nothing about ships, she knew that much. She flapped her wings harder and suddenly she was over the water. She wheeled once, large eyes searching for the ship. There. She had come out just ahead of it. It was a large ship with higher sides than the normal Vikings ships she saw in Berk. It was wider and longer, easily 100 feet long. There were strange Vikings aboard, Vikings she had never seen before. At the front of the vessel there was a large, black …shadow? Blesi strained her eyes to see what it was, but was too high to figure it out. She thought it might be a dragon, but it looked too _wrong_. Maybe it was a tarp. Either way, it was not a ship that belonged to Berk. And it was soon obvious from the hushed whispers that filtered up through the air and the slight clank of axes and shields that it was planning on attacking Berk. How one ship full of warriors, albeit what looked to be at least 70 of them, was planning on taking Berk with the hundreds of dragons in the area was a mystery. Still, Berk needed to be warned.

A slight whistling in the air was the only warning Blesi had to fold her wings and fall to avoid being shot with an arrow. They had noticed her. There was no reason to stay now. Arrowing away, Blesi focused on getting back to Berk and warning the village. Dinner would have to wait.

*****_**Toothless***_

Toothless yawned and stretched in front of the fire in Hiccup's house, luxuriating in the feel of Hiccup's hand slowly scratching his neck. Stoic was already asleep upstairs. The evening had been peaceful, as opposed to the past few days of mayhem. Hiccup had finally calmed down as the sun set, satisfied that everything that needed to be done was finished. Ships were ready with food and water stored onboard, bags were packed, armor was polished, dragon tack was checked…more things than Toothless could name were now on the ships or waiting to be loaded in the morning. The dragons had gorged themselves that night in anticipation of the long days of flying ahead. The wilder dragons were staying behind, tasked with protecting Berk in the Vikings absence. Toothless was not unduly worried. The wild dragons knew well enough to scare off any intruders and eat any who were too persistent. Berk would be safe.

Now all that was left to do was laze with Hiccup in front of the fire for a little while longer before getting a good night's rest. They sailed in the morning. Lulled into a pleasant stupor by Hiccup's scratching, the black dragon rested his head on the floor and closed his large eyes.

A dragon's shriek woke Toothless from his light slumber. Hiccup jumped next to him, half asleep himself. Toothless raised his head and looked out the window, searching for the source of the noise. There had been panic in that cry.

_ATTACK! ATTACK! ENEMY SHIP! _Toothless recognized Blesi's panicked voice as it filled his mind. He jumped up, half dumping Hiccup on the floor. The boy quickly scrambled up, a look of concentration on his face as he tried to tune in to what the other dragons were calling about. Toothless shoved the boy towards the door, stamping impatiently as Hiccup fumbled with the latch. As soon as it was open Toothless bounded out, quickly followed by his rider. Having no harness on, as he was not expecting to go flying before bed, Toothless settled for merely grabbing Hiccup by his vest and unceremoniously dropping the boy on his back. The Viking yelped and slipped slightly, trying to settle himself without falling. As soon as Toothless deemed he wasn't going to slip off at the first shift of the dragon's weight, he went bounding down the hill towards the main hall and the dragon houses. Blesi had already landed and was still repeating her message to disorderly group of dragons assembled.

_SILENCE!_ Toothless roared, waiting until his order had been followed before turning to Blesi. He could sense Hiccup locking in on the conversation so Toothless would not have to repeat it. _Now, Blesi, can you please tell me what is going on?_

_ Vikings! _She huffed, wings limp and tongue lolling from the speed she had traveled. _There is an enemy ship of strange Vikings to the west side of the island. I saw them when I was flying but didn't think anything of it. It wasn't till I was circling back that I realized I did not recognize the ship. I flew over the ship and they shot at me. There must be at least 70 warriors aboard. They are armed and in gear. They are planning to attack. _

Toothless was silent for a long moment, absorbing the news. Hiccup left his side to climb back up the hill to get his father. _Are they not aware of the dragons that protect this place?_

Blesi shook her head._ It seems not._

_ Then let all the dragons assemble on the cliffs and on the walkways. Send out scouts to track their progress, but don't let them be seen. I will have Hiccup tell Stoic to line the Vikings up on the cliff tops alongside the dragons. Maybe we can scare them away with our numbers._ Not staying to see if his orders were obeyed, Toothless bounded after Hiccup. He would need his harness for this. A small thought stuck in his brain, however much he tried to push it away. Could these be the Vikings they were looking for?

*****_**Vashdin***_

The black being growled in anger as he watched the arrow miss the small blue dragon high above them. He growled louder as it disappeared inland. He could not chase it without giving away the Vikings position. He also risked alerting the other dragons that they had sneaked past that something was wrong. So he lay at the bow of the boat, fuming.

"Vashdin, will it warn the others?" The Viking captain stood next to him, clothes as dull as ever, a worried look on his face.

Vashdin growled softly, a non comitial reply to a question he could not answer. The captain shrugged and stared at the sky for a moment before saying, "We will go on as planned. Perhaps it has not warned the others. If we find them ready to fight, however, we will have to flee. We can travel a few days away, let things calm down, and circle back and try again." He turned back to his crew and hissed some more directions.

Vashdin's red eyes positively glowed in anger. Stupid, stupid captain, thinking that they could try again. This was it. If they did not take the dragons' home tonight, they would have to wait months to try again. A few days would not be enough to assuage the vermins' anxiety. He shifted position, nose to the wind as they circled around the point. This would be the moment. This would be the turning point in this battle. If they could still take the Vikings and dragons by surprise, he would be that much closer to home, that much closer to ridding the earth of these lesser beings, that much closer to becoming the god that he was.

The ship's oars sloshed softly through the water as they rounded the last point. Only a few more seconds and they would be in the open. Vashdin stood now, wings half raised, a growl rumbling in his throat. The rocky point slipped behind the ship and before him laid his prize. Berk.


	9. Chapter 9

*****_**Loki***_

Loki was standing on a cliff top, surrounded by Vikings and dragons, preparing to fight a large group of unknown invaders. Usually, he would not find this very troubling, but the fact the wild dragons living around Berk hadn't attacked the ship yet was a worrying problem. So he stood on the cliff, fearing whatever magic had been cast upon the dragons, and wondered how they would all get out alive.

Loki growled softly, the noise rumbling deep in his throat. Vikings and dragons surrounded him, all in the same state of agitation. The large red and orange dragon half raised his wings, wishing he could see the island's attackers. A soft whistle above alerted him that one of the scouts had returned.

_They come! They will round the western spur of rock in five minutes. Be ready!_

Loki growled again as the messenger flew on, repeating the news. Farther down the line, he could hear Hiccup translating the message for the other Vikings. Some of the dragons took to the air, circling the Vikings as they readied their weapons. Axes and shields clinked softly. Loki sniffed the wind, catching the strange, foul smell that was carried on the breeze. It was familiar, but Loki could not place where he had smelled it before. His claws dug into the stone, leaving gouges.

Suddenly, silence fell. Vikings and dragons alike strained their eyes as a ship started to come around the edge of rock that had blocked it from view. The first thing Loki noticed was how big the ship was. The second was the strange, swirling black shape that blanketed the bow. He could not tell if it was a large blanket or some other strange device or cover. The foul smell increased as the boat completely rounded the spur of rock. It was now in full view of Berk.

At a signal from Hiccup and a call from Toothless, the residents of Berk broke into war crys and shouts, roars, screams, yells, and a cacophony of other noises. Some dragons let loose flame, circling in and out of the yellow heat. The Nightmares set themselves on fire, leaving blazing trails across the sky. Loki threw himself off the cliff and joined the other dragons in the air, a roar reverberating from his throat. With a hiss, he set himself on fire, adding to the fiery display. The Vikings beat their axes on their shields, yelling threats at the ship far below. The air reverberated with noise, carrying like waves to the cliff walls surrounding the harbor and bouncing back. Instead of a few hundred Vikings, it sounded like thousands of Vikings and dragons were lined up to defend their home.

Loki hissed in delight as the ship hesitated and slowed. The warriors were obviously hoping their approach had gone unnoticed. And unnoticed it might have gone, had Blesi not warned them. He swooped lower, hoping for a closer look at the attackers. Out of the corner of his eye, Loki saw Hiccup and Toothless swerve past, having the same idea as him. They spiraled down, studying the ship. It looked to be some sort of longship. What struck Loki, however, was the fact that the large black object that had occupied the front of the boat was missing. Where could something that large have gone? He dipped lower, studying the crew. One of the warriors looked up, eyes seeming to bore into his, giving Loki a fright. He dropped like a stone before whipping his wings out and skimming the water, swooping back up into the air. He shivered, although not from the cold. An awful realization had entered his mind. A moment later, Toothless was by his side.

_What is it? Are you all right? _The concern was plain in Toothless's voice.

_Those Vikings! _Loki hissed. _Those are the ones that attacked my home and flock!_

_Are you sure?_

_Yes. _Loki circled the ship one more time. It was turning away from Berk, fleeing like a scared rabbit. _Can you smell that reek in the air?_

Toothless sniffed, wrinkling his nose. _Yes. What is it?_

_I don't know. But I recognize it. It's what the dead Vikings smelled like. And their helmets, they are the same. Even their odd clothes, old and patched, are the same. I know them. These are the Vikings we want. We must kill them! _ Loki tilted his wings toward the retreating ship. He put out the flames licking his body for the moment, intent on sneaking up on the ship.

_NO! _Toothless bodily threw himself against Loki, causing them both to lose control of flight and plummet. Loki heard Hiccup yelp, struggling with the tail fin, trying to straighten Toothless out. Loki finally managed to untangle his wings from Toothless and dove towards the water, narrowly missing hitting Hiccup's head with his tail. A splash filled the air as the large dragon let himself sink under the water. A moment later he flung himself back out, wet wings scattering drops through the air. No longer in danger of hitting Loki, Hiccup had straightened Toothless out and they now flew above him. Loki joined them, looking towards the fleeing ship. The other dragons, satisfied that it was leaving, circled over the harbor while others landed on the cliffs again. The Vikings had finally quieted and watched in silence as the ship disappeared around the rocks again.

Toothless growled at Loki as the large dragon looked longingly in the direction of his flock's murderers. Slowly, Loki turned away and followed Toothless back to land. All the way, however, a low growl shook his frame.

*****_**Toothless***_

Toothless flapped his wings heavily, mentally worn out, even though there had been no battle. He had been scared for a moment that he would not be able to stop Loki. Toothless well understood the anger that was consuming the large dragon, but if he tried to attack with no help he would be killed instantly. It would be better to wait and form a plan.

Toothless swiveled his head back to check on Hiccup, who was still a little wide eyed from their almost collision with Loki. It had been a dangerous move on the part of the black dragon, but he trusted Hiccup to straighten him out before they crashed. And they had. Barely.

The dragon shook his head, as if the physical movement would clear his thoughts as he circled down to land lightly in front of the Dragon Houses. He moved to the side quickly, making room for Loki. The young dragon was still growling softly in agitation. Toothless lay down to allow Hiccup to dismount. The boy quickly went running towards his father, who was walking up the path from the cliffs, gesturing wildly before he had even reached Stoic. Toothless smiled slightly before turning his attention back to Loki.

_Loki? Please settle down._ The great dragon continued to pace, ignoring Toothless. _Loki? LOKI! SIT, NOW! _Toothless punctuated his command with a well aimed fireball, quickly catching and holding the other dragon's attention. Loki snapped out of his daze and dropped to the ground, wings out, head flat on the ground, staring at the small black dragon. Taking this as an improvement over Loki's actions a moment ago, Toothless began.

_You can't chase the ship, _he said flatly.

_ Why? You know what they did! I want revenge!_

_ Sit._ Loki stopped mid-motion of standing and slumped back to the ground. Toothless's eyes tracked his every move. _Now, will you stay still long enough for me to finish my sentence? Good. I know you want to follow them, but have you thought of what you will do when you fight them?_

_ Yes! I will rip them to pieces and make them suffer for what they did to me!_

_ All 70 of them at once?_

_ Well, _Loki paused, _I'll flame them first, and once I'm out of flame I'll rip the rest to shreds._

_ And during this time, _Toothless continued, _they will not attack you? _

_ Well, erm, uh…._ Loki was at a loss for words, nonplussed.

_Think, Loki, think! They will not simply line up and wait to be killed. You might be able to kill most of them, but they would fight back and kill YOU. You cannot take them alone. That is why I propose this: we were going to leave in the morning anyway, correct? _Loki nodded. _We will still leave in the morning. The only difference is that we don't have to search for them now. They came to us practically on a silver platter. We will follow them and track them back to their home base. All our forces will be ready, so if we are noticed we can easily defend ourselves or attack them. With so many dragons and Vikings of Berk backing us, casualties will be at a minimum, and there should be no chance of them escaping. And if we can track them to their home, maybe there will be more we can kill, so we can protect other flocks from a similar fate like yours._

_ Toothless, has anyone ever told you how smart you are?_

Toothless laughed, the rumbling sound reverberating in his chest. _Actually, Hiccup and I came up with it when we were flying over the ship. Well, Hiccup vaguely mentioned something about the ship showing up at our front door, and then I thought a plan out from there on our flight back._

_ Toothless, has anyone ever told you how smart you are? _Loki repeated, smiling a toothy grin back at the other dragon.

After a moment, Toothless grew serious again. _Where was that black dragon that attacked you?_

_ I don't know…_ Loki shifted uncomfortably. _I'm guessing that he might have been used as backup if the Vikings could not take us._

_ So why didn't he appear?_

_ I don't know, I don't know._

Toothless shook his head. _Did you notice that tarpaulin over the bow of the boat? I thought it might have been covering something, but it disappeared in an instant. They couldn't have stored it that fast, could they?_

_ I saw it when I first flew over and then it was just- gone._ Loki half closed his eyes._ I've never seen anything like that before. Do you think it was magic?_

_ Magic? Magic isn't real._ Toothless snorted.

_Well, by humans' standards, what we can do is magic. Others think we are made of magic._

_ Humans have strange ideas. We are what we are. I will look to natural causes before considering magic. _Despite his answer, Toothless was still unnerved by the strange disappearing tarpaulin. The more he thought about it, the more Loki's suggestion sounded plausible.

Both dragons looked up as Karen, one of the Nadders from Loki's flock, landed next to them. She was breathless with excitement. _Did you see? Did you see it? I saw it! I did! I did! I flew right past it!_

_ Karen! _Loki interrupted, _what are you talking about?_

The Nadder danced in excitement. _The ship! I saw its name when I flew past the bow!_

_ The name? What is it?_ Toothless sat up in excitement. Ship names were important to Vikings. The dragon had seen Hiccup identify what clan owned a ship, where they lived, and what their trade was, all from hearing a ships name. It was a knack the boy had picked up on from following Stoic around in the shadows.

_It was called the Dreknor._

_ Many thanks, Karen, that will be a great help, _Toothless said.

_Fair winds, Toothless, Loki. I take my leave._

_Fair winds!_ Loki and Toothless repeated the dragons' farewell phrase. Thoughts tumbled through Toothless's head, the main one being that he had to tell Hiccup what he had found out. The second was that he was deathly tired, and wanted a long night's sleep before morning. The black dragon stood up and stretched, head weaving as his bright green eyes searched for the young boy. The eyes centered and narrowed as they found Hiccup with Astrid under the roof outside the forge, a few hundred feet away.

Loki, seeing that Toothless was distracted, quietly wished the dragon goodnight and walked up to the Dragon Houses. He would have his chance for revenge in the morning.

Barely aware that he was alone, Toothless slowly slunk through the shadows, creeping up on the boy and girl. He really couldn't resist, even though Hiccup would never let him hear the end of it. The black dragon circled around the back of the forge, blending into the shadows with ease. Slinking around the edge of the building he froze.

Hiccup and Astrid were only a foot or two away, inches from each other's faces. From the look they were giving each other, a whole swarm of Vikings could have attacked and they wouldn't have noticed. Toothless risked one more step forward, bringing himself about a foot and a half away from Hiccup. Every so slowly, the dragon raised himself up to his full height and rested gently on his back legs. He was now about even in height to the two teenagers, who _still_ had not noticed him. Love could do strange things. Hiccup mumbled something, and then Astrid leaned forward the last few inches. Toothless opened his mouth and took in a deep breath. Just as Astrid's lips touched Hiccup's, Toothless let out his loudest possible roar.

Pandemonium ensued. Hiccup yelped and jumped away from Astrid, only to bump into Toothless. Disoriented, he yelped again and half-fell, half-ran a few feet away. Astrid, meanwhile, stumbled backwards into the outer wall of the forge, knocking over a pile of weapons in the process and adding to the racket. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to grab one of weapons, (an axe, Toothless noticed ironically) and swing it in the direction of the noise. Unfortunately, she almost decapitated Hiccup, who had picked himself up and ran to protect Astrid. Toothless reached out a paw and caught Hiccup moments before he walked into Astrid's axe swing. After another minute of yelling and uncalled for cursing, the humans and dragon straightened each other out and stood gasping for a moment.

Toothless gave them his best toothless smile, chest rumbling with laughter. For some reason, though, Astrid and Hiccup did not seem to share his mirth. With a look at each other they dived at the black dragon, giving chase when he bounded away. Toothless was still smiling as the Vikings pursued him up the hill. Sleeping and passing on information to Hiccup would have to wait. From the cries of the two behind him, both would probably have to wait a long time. Toothless laughed again as he led them on a merry chase through the woods. Their shouts and cries as they tripped over branches and ran into trees in the dark was _almost_ as funny as their faces had been when he scared them. _Almost. _Toothless grinned to himself. Hiccup would never live this one down.


	10. Chapter 10

*****_**Loki***_

The next morning dawned bright and clear, the few clouds burned off by the early morning sun. Berk was awake and busy before the sun had even crested the horizon. Shouts, crashes, bangs, and thuds punctuated the air as packing commenced. Loki stood on the cliffs, looking down and the knarr ships below. Dragons filled the air like a living tapestry, helping move supplies from the village down to the boats. They would be leaving within the hour to give chase to the enemy vessel. Loki yawned, teeth gleaming in the light. Toothless had kept him up late last night crashing through the forest, chased by the two Viking teens. They must have kept it up for at least an hour before silence filled the village again. From the yawns of the other Vikings and dragons, no one had gotten much sleep.

Shaking his thoughts away, Loki dove off the cliff and skimmed the water before rising high into the air. The heat of the sun beat upon his scales, filling him with energy. Loki let the air currents carry him back into the shore where he landed next to Toothless. The black dragon's head weaved back and forth in concentration as he listened to a conversation between Hiccup and Stoic. Loki listened as well.

"Are you _sure_ you haven't heard of the Dreknor?" Hiccup asked.

Stoic shook his head. "I'm afraid not. There was a ship called that once…but it disappeared years and years ago. Crashed, I believe, on one of their trading routes. I'm afraid it's not the same ship. But even if I don't know it, someone is bound to have heard of it along the way."

"I just want to find it quickly," Hiccup sighed, frustrated.

"So do I, son, so do I. But it's not like we don't know where they are going. Everyone saw the direction that they sailed off in and there is only open ocean within a day's travel of here. They won't be hard to find."

Hiccup nodded slowly before opening his mouth again. Stoic cut him off before he had a chance to say anything. "Yes, everything is accounted for. No, no body needs any help. Yes, we will leave within the hour. Yes, I have all the maps and sailing equipment. I packed the extra pair of socks you told me to. Now go to the house and eat something before we leave! You're as thin as stick…can't be good for you…" Muttering, Stoic wandered away while Hiccup stood still, mouth wide.

_Looks like your father knows you almost as well as I do,_ Toothless laughed.

"Hey!" Hiccup protested.

_Toothless, shouldn't we have sent out a scout last night to track the ship? _Loki asked.

Toothless shook his head. _Everyone was worn out and there has been so much happening that I decided it would be better not to. And as Stoic said, they can't have gotten that far. We will find them soon, don't worry. _

Loki snorted and shook his head, but accepted Toothless's council.

As promised, the Vikings left within the hour. Those staying behind once again lined up on the cliffs. Once again the harbor resounded with shouts and roars, but this time calls of farewell and good luck filled the air. Loki flapped over the ships slowly, letting the air carry him away from the island of Berk. Looking down, he could see Astrid making her way to Hiccup's side. Almost unconsciously, Hiccup's hand slid into hers. Once they rounded the point open ocean stretched as far as the eye could see. The ships became a hive of activity as the Vikings pulled on sails, intent on catching the slightest wind. It seemed that luck was with them. The sails billowed out and from his high vantage point; Loki thought that the ships looked like a group of gulls winging over the water. The rest of the dragons settled into the easy rhythm of flying as the miles slid away beneath them.

*****_**Vashdin**_*** **

Vashdin hissed in anger, pacing the deck. The sound felt strange coming from a human mouth. His limbs felt too long and uncoordinated; his back exposed without his wings. He hated shifting into human form to talk to the Vikings he sailed with. It took more out of him than he would like to admit. He drew deeply from the reserves of power inside, forcing his body to keep from shifting. He focused back on the conversation at hand.

"We can't go back!"

"Yes, we have to! This is our last chance to rip their miserable hides to shreds!"

"They'll expect us to be coming; it's too risky."

"We're Vikings! It's an occupational hazard!"

"Hazard? I'll show you a hazard!" A scuffle broke out.

"SILENCE!" The captain pulled apart the fighting crew members and shoved them roughly away. "Vashdin, what do you think we should do?"

Vashdin paced the deck again, wishing he could rip the miserable creatures to shreds. "We can't go back. They were prepared—warned, no doubt, by that lone dragon—and now they will not lower their guard for weeks. That was our only chance!" He hissed again.

The captain shrugged. "No matter. There are more dragons along the way! And Vikings we can plunder! And ale…mustn't forget the ale…" The captain trailed off into a stream of gibberish. Vashdin snorted. Crazy fools, all of them, driven mad by the sea and wind. They were the sorriest bunch he'd ever seen, but they were his ticket home. As the rest of the crew dispersed Vashdin walked to the bow of the ship before letting the magic go and sliding back into his true shape. It felt uncomfortably like his bones were being turned inside out and then put back together. He shuddered as his skin stretched itself back to its rightful shape and shadows again swirled over his scales. He then settled down for a long nap. Maybe by the time he woke the situation would look less bleak and he would have a better plan for revenge.


	11. Chapter 11

_*__**Loki**__*_

The next two days passed uneventfully. The Vikings shadowed the Dreknor at a safe distance to avoid detection. They sailed at an angle to the other ship, tacking often to ensure that no scent of the dragon's reached the ship they followed. They played a risky game, because if the black dragon Loki had seen was somehow traveling with the ship; they could easily be seen if it decided to stay far from the ship Still, it seemed that they were safe as the hours slipped by. The dragons were doing fine even with the long hours of flying. The Vikings were restless with the lack of movement, but Stoic kept them in line.

_Loki!_ Karen flapped over, her scales shining in the late afternoon sun. _Stoic said that we are nearing an archipelago of islands. We should arrive after nightfall. We can restock on provisions and continue our search in the morning. _

_ If we are restocking, then the Dreknor will as well. We must be on guard. It would not do well to dock at the same island. Karen—_

_ Yes, Loki? _Karen angled her wings and drifted back over to him.

_How are you…doing? There have been so many changes in our lives lately…_

Karan blew steam from her nose. _It's hard. But we are dragons. We survive. We will honor the other's memories. It's all that's left. _Karen tilted her wings and slid away, leaving Loki with no chance to say goodbye. Heart heavy, he continued to fly.

*_**Vashdin**_*

Sharp, tangy, chilled wind slipped into Vashdin's nostrils before he huffed it out in a breath of steam. The day was clear and cold, the blue sky a polished dome high above where he soared. The sun seemed small and remote, giving little warmth to those below. Vashdin's wings moved in a slow rhythmic pattern, sometimes held stiff as a breeze bore his weight. He circled high above the Viking ship below. The breeze had been steadily in their favor for the past two days and they were making good time away from Berk. Rather than being happy though, the black dragon seethed. His mind worried at the problem of the dragons every waking hour. How dare the weaklings not bow to his will! He was a GOD! He growled, the air catching the sound and whipping it away.

The wind shifted then, dropping the dragon's great weight. He flapped his wings to regain the height he lost and glanced down at the Viking ship below. It was slowing, sails slack against the changing wind. After a few minutes the ship started to turn and tack to make as much use of the wind as possible. Vashdin's nose twitched as he drew a deep breath of the new scents: the slightly different smell of the wind, the odor of fish, and the faint musk of dragons. His eyes narrowed at the last and he tilted his wings, flapping hard into the breeze. Alarm bells started going off as the smell grew stronger. There were no islands near here; at least, none where dragons lived. That could only mean…

He soared higher, sharp eyes searching the blue waves in the distance. Shadows swirled around his body and his vision sharpened. There. On the horizon, too far away for him to see; only to sense, was a group of Viking ships in pursuit of the Outcasts. If the wind had not shifted, who knew how long he would have remained unaware. Anger seethed through his limbs, making his skin burn with a raging energy. He sped, fast as an arrow, eyes mere slits against the ripping air. He would murder the lying treacherous scum; rip, burn, tear, rend, hate! The smell of dragons was overwhelming now and he saw the distant flocks of dragons flying above the ship. More rested on the decks. It appeared that they had not noticed him yet. It would be their last mistake.

*_**Toothless**_*

The Night Fury went into a lazy dive, he and his rider merely enjoying the cold morning air. Hiccup's legs unconsciously tightened against the sharper angle and the boy leaned back slightly to counterbalance. The dragon and boy were joined as one, no longer two separate species coexisting. Toothless tilted his wings up again and flapped above the rest of the flock. He cast his mind out and lightly touched the minds of the other dragons, gaining a faint impression of the state of each of his brethren. They were all doing well, only faint traces of exhaustion in their minds. Then Toothless was alone with his own thoughts again and let his mind go blank. His eyes closed as he caught a breeze and drifted. Hiccup's mind faintly brushed his; teeming with thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Humans were such complex beings. Toothless focused on his rider's mind for a moment, sifting through the mix. Feelings for Astrid formed an underlying current. Traces of fear over the enemy they chased drifted by. The joy of flying was more prominent, but half formed images flashed through Toothless's mind of projects Hiccup wanted to build. The strange contraptions meant nothing to the dragon, so he drew back into himself and continued to relax. The breeze that supported him shifted suddenly and Toothless flapped hard to keep his altitude before adjusting to its new position. The smell of the ocean filled his nose, reminding him of his old home on the cliffs. Sadness flowed through him at the thought, sharper than he'd realized. The old wound still ached, despite the passage of time. It had felt good to tell Hiccup; relieving a load that Toothless hadn't realized he carried. He doubted, however, that he would ever be able to completely cope with the horror he had witnessed long ago. For a moment he entertained the idea that somewhere there were more Night Furies like him. Just maybe…

A prickle at the base of Toothless's neck jerked him out of his revere. It quickly spread like a shiver down his entire body. His eyes popped open and he flapped higher, jarring Hiccup, who gave a yelp and grabbed at the saddle. Something was…out of place. His eyes scanned the sky around him but he saw no hint of the danger that had unnerved him so. He looked at the ship below but it seemed to be fine. None of the other dragons had registered anything either. So what had…

A small black shape on the horizon was growing closer at an alarming rate. Toothless threw out his mind; desperately hoping his fears weren't true. His mind encountered another that burned like fire, slick as oil. Toothless screamed an alarm, both mentally and physically. The rest of the flock responded immediately. The dragons on the deck of the ships rose into the air, causing their numbers to swell. Loki's anger ripped through Toothless's mind, despite the fact that the Night Fury tried to block him out. This was obviously the same dragon that had attacked Loki's old home. Hiccup was beating on Toothless's sides with his fists, his words whipped away by the wind. The dragon ignored him.

_TOOTHLESS!_

The dragon growled, but minded his rider's thoughts. _What?_

_ Land on the ship! I have to warn Stoic._

_ No! The dragon is almost here! We stay and fight! _

_ Toothless._ The boy's voice was calm, cutting through the battle rage filling the dragon's veins. _We have to warn them. If the black dragon has seen us, he will warn the Vikings. I don't know how they are communicating, but either way they will know. We have to catch up to them now. No more hiding._

Deigning not to answer, the Night Fury folded his wings tight and dropped like a stone, barely pulling up before wiping out on the deck.

"Dad!" Hiccup didn't even bother to jump off. Stoic the Vast used his girth and strength to shove the sailor Vikings out of his way till he reached his son. Toothless watched the sky anxiously as the black dragon grew closer. They had seconds. Hiccup tapped his dragon's sides to signal he was done and just about broke his neck from the whiplash of Toothless's takeoff. Green eyes mere slits, the dragon forced his wings faster to catch up with the dragons milling in the air. The black dragon was almost upon them, body swirling with shadows and obscuring his shape.

_MURDERER! _Loki's mind call ripped the air, racing ahead to meet the black dragon. A gust of wind from the side buffeted the dragons but they held steady. It had a different effect on the black dragon though. For a mere instant, the shadows were whipped away from its body like smoke, revealing its shape. Toothless's vision flashed white, then red. He recognized the dragon. It was the same kind as those who had destroyed his home.

_MURDERER!_ His cry joined with Loki's and their rage washed over both them and the rest of the flock. With roars and screams Toothless and Loki crashed into the black dragon and all hell broke loose.


	12. Chapter 12

_***Lok**__**i***_

Loki set himself on fire and focused his single-minded hatred on the black shadow-covered dragon. He and Toothless worked together, unconsciously protecting the other while they swooped and dived. They harried the evil dragon that seemed to move twice as fast as he should be able to. He blocked the attackers at every turn but was never able to land a blow of his own. The rest of the dragons surrounded the fighting pair formed a swirling bubble, locking the black shadowy being in. Loki saw an opening and whipped his tail forward, scoring a hit on the other dragon's lower thigh. Scales fell like rain to the water below and hot blood spilled from the wound. At least the strange beast bleed like other creatures. Toothless hooked his claws into its wings and flapped back, hard. Hiccup yelped at the ripping sound of the other dragon's wing. The black dragon shrieked, wing flapping uselessly and dripping blood. It dropped a few feet, but was brought up short by the snapping of teeth below it. For the first time ever, something akin to fear entered its eyes. It sucked in a large breath and Loki swooped in front of Toothless and Hiccup, expecting a gout of flame. Instead the shadows covering the being swirled and took on a life of their own, gathering themselves at the dragon's maw like some dark fireball.

_Loki!_ Toothless's voice held panic. _I don't like the feel of what he is doing. Don't worry about Hiccup, can you distract him?_

_ Of course._ Loki dipped a wing and slid over the dragon, dropping with feet extended for its scaly back. It whipped its head around and let loose the ball of black smoke, still small and half formed. Loki flattened his wings to his body and hoped that gravity would pull him low enough to avoid the ball. He barely escaped, feeling it graze the edge of his wing. Hot burning pain raced through his veins.

_Toothless, I don't know what kind of fire that is, but it BURNS!_ He felt Toothless's grunt of recognition. As the black ball continued on its path the flock of dragons parted for it to pass, flying off with shrieks into chaos. The black dragon saw his change and darted for an opening. Toothless loosed a blue fireball that screamed through the air before ripping a whole in the enemy dragon's wing. Bleeding, hurt, and defeated, the dragon winged away, dropping low over the water.

_Let him go. _Toothless's quiet voice stopped Loki before he'd done more than turn his head. _We will follow them by sea. He has nowhere to escape to now. _The Night Fury went into a shallow dive and landed on the deck of one of the ships. Loki reluctantly followed, touching minds with each of his flock. Once he landed, he suffered through Hiccup's attention to his shoulder, settling down and letting his eyes slide shut. As his wing changed from stinging to throbbing he let himself slide into a few minutes sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N- Done with finals! They've been bogging me down for a while, hence the last super short chapter (for which I am sorry!) Also, on Sunday I got to see How to Train Your Dragon Live: The Arena Spectacular! The show was stunning! Amazing use of graphics and actors, as well as amazing dragons! They were HUGE! You don't realize how big these things actually are until you see a live sized model of them!**_

_**Now, some back story for all you lovely readers. Breeds of dragons are capitalized, and this is not what Vikings would call them but, well, these are dragons talking!**_

_***50 Years Ago***_

_Gather round hatchlings, gather round! _The old dragon settled against the wall of the warm cave, watching the younglings flitter about. They nipped at each other's tails, shoved each other with their wings, and blew tiny clouds of smoke. The old dragon smiled as they slowly settled down, glowing eyes turning to his large ones. He snorted contentedly and settled down to tell his tale again, as he had countless times before.

_Thousands of years ago in the cold northern lands of Frjosa, where we now live, things were much different. It was just as cold and snowy as it is now, but there were many more islands. These islands were home to thousands of dragons, just as Svelley is now. But our island was not the only one with access to the hot springs and caverns. No, our island used to be part of a great mountain range; it's many peaks breaking the ocean surface. If you were a Deep Swimmer, you could follow the land that connected our island to the next, and the next, and the next. All of these islands had holes and pockets that connected them to the heat within. The Fire Lovers used to follow the tunnels inside the islands down for miles until they found lava for heat bathing. They told stories of the Magma Swimmers, dragons that could survive – and enjoyed – the burning heat of molten rock. The warm water around our islands attracted fish for miles around and we never went hungry. Although seen from above our island seems like little more than a crag of dull rock, inside lay the wonders of the dragon race! Oh, you should have seen it…nests specifically for dragon eggs, little springs for hatchlings to play in, hundreds of underground pools for the older dragons…but I digress. _

_During this time –and some say ever since time began – there was a force known as the Ancient Power. It is only spoken of in legends or hushed whispers around glowing coals. Some say that if harnessed, it will bring peace to all the dragons. Some say it will be a weapon to fight the Vikings with. Others say the power IS the weapon to fight the Vikings with. Still others fear that it will bring about the end of the world. Whatever it is, many dragons over time have tried to use it, for better or worse. The only dragons who could control the power were our ancient heroes and ancestors, when the world was still a new place. They wielded the power for good, shaping themselves and the lands around them to be a fit place for dragons. They chose homes far from the reach of the humans of that time and settled into a life of peace. The Ancient Power fell to the wayside, no longer needed._

_However, time and time again dragons sought this ultimate power. Nigh on 1,000 years ago, a cult of dragons formed that were determined to take this power for themselves. Over a two hundred dragons committed themselves to the ritual of calling the Ancient Power into themselves. They all went mad and many burnt up from the power raging inside. The others were twisted into horrible grotesque beings, misshapen and disproportionate. The power ate at their minds, twisting them against each other and the rest of the dragon race. They attacked, giving no thought to their own safety. So many died…so much blood stained the rocks and tunnels of our islands. We rose up and fought back, planning on ridding the world of the evil dragons forever. The battle lasted for weeks. They were so strong, so horrible. The magic they could perform…it ripped our islands apart. Many sank under the waves. Others were filled with lava and only the Magma Swimmers live there now. Still others belch toxic black smoke into the sky. So many many dragons died, caught in the crossfire or trapped in the islands as they burned. Our own island as you know did not escape unharmed. Many tunnels are now sealed off, due to what lies beneath or within them. Hundreds of our flock died and a countless number were injured. Whole races were wiped out. We are so much smaller than we were. We vowed that no dragon would be able to commit this atrocity again. So, we created the Wise Ones. _

_They were a group of 10 old dragons that dedicated themselves to protecting the Ancient Power. They spent years studying the legends and history surrounding it, as well as what it had done to the dragons who tried to use it since. However, they disappeared 100 years ago and have not been heard of again. Legend says that they found the source of the Ancient Power and traveled there to try to rid if forever. If they were successful, we do not know, but no dragon has been able to harness the Ancient Power since. All traces and knowledge of it was erased, except for the power of words, to pass this knowledge on to hatchlings like you. The loss of the Wise Ones was a great tragedy to our flock, for they were well loved and had great knowledge. But if they died, then they did so with honor, protecting us to the end._

The dragon yawned and blinked slowly, listening to the trills and murmurs of the baby dragons. Some had heard the tale before and were eagerly filling in their younger siblings on the few details he had missed. Mind pictures bounced between them, augmenting their tales. Before they had a chance to get too out of hand and fanciful, the old dragon blew a cloud of steam over the group.

_Back to bed now, all of you. No complaining. You will all hear the story again another time, and many others to come. It's time for the older dragons to have their story sharing time. _The babies grumbled, but tottered off. One lapis lazuli dragon trilled to a fellow Air Spinner, pictures still flitting between them. The old dragon yawned once more before welcoming in the older dragons.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N- The first few chapters of this story felt very disconnected, so I moved them to their own story. Chapter numbers have been changed accordingly. The story now starts immediately following Loki's adventures.**

_***Port city, early morning***_

"DRAGONS!"

"Archers, to your posts!"

"Ready your weapons! Aim…fire!"

"Sound the alarm bells! Go, go go!"

"Archers, again! Aim…fire!"

"Guard! You there! Go tell the Lord that dragons have been sighted! Run!"

"They're turning, sir! Look, they're leaving!"

"Archers, be at the ready. It could be a trick."

"No…they are gone. See, sir? They flew off south. Must have thought we would make easy pickings!"

"Archers, bows at the ready and stay at your posts. Captain, order your men to be alert and keep their eyes to the sky. I am going to go report to our Lord. If any of you see so much as a bird over the water, shoot it down."

"Yes, sir!"

_***Tristan***_

Tristan and Jorn flapped their wings tiredly, leaving the yelling humans far behind them. The rest of the dragons bunched around them, some panting after the hours of flight.

_Loki will be furious, _Tristan commented.

_About? _Jorn glanced at him.

_How the humans reacted. He will see it as another stumbling block, keeping us from that betrayer._

_It is. Just our luck that the Viking were able to escape into the __Archipelago._

_But…_ Tristan trailed off.

_What is it?_

_If this is how they reacted to us, how did that black devil weasel his way in? I don't think his magic could convince that many people to ignore him, or that he was harmless, or whatever illusion he could come up with._

_We don't know anything about his power, _Jorn answered. _Really, all we can do is guess. What happens when we catch him?_

_Then we rip his sorry hide to pieces and make him rue the day he was born._

Jorn sighed, the wind whipping the sound away. _More bloodshed._

Tristan raised his spikes in anger. _After what he did to us? To your family? You feel, what, _mercy_?_

_No, of course not! _Jorn hissed. _I'm not as young as I once was. I just want to settle down somewhere with plenty of fish and…relax. I'm tired of fighting and running and fear._

_I understand. We have all lost much. _The Nadder shook his head, spikes rattling. _I miss Ash and Ellie._

_We all do, Tristan. We all do. _The two dragons trailed off into heavy silence as the Viking ships came into view.

_***Loki***_

The Monstrous Nightmare felt his heart grow heavy as he heard Jorn and Tristan's news. If these Norsemen, as Hiccup called them, feared dragons, there was nothing they could do to change it.

Hiccup approached the red dragon. "Loki? I've been talking to my dad and he said that we could take the ships to each island and ask about the Dreknor. Either we will find the ship or someone will have heard of it. As soon as we find out where these Vikings have made port, we can reassess our situation from there."

_What will we dragons do?_

Toothless repeated the question to Hiccup, since he still had trouble hearing other dragon's thoughts. "There are a lot of outlying islands here with food and shelter. The dragons can break into smaller flocks and stay on the islands. You shouldn't have to stay there long. Just make sure that the dragons stay away from the shorelines. We don't want a stray ship seeing them."

Loki thought a long moment, but there was nothing he could do about the situation. _As you wish_, he finally answered. Dejected, he went to tell his flock and the other dragons the news.

_***Vashdin***_

The dragon listened to the roars and shouts of the Vikings he traveled with, drunk to the bone. Outcasts, they were, no longer Vikings. He shifted in the barn, causing startled squeals from the horses. He snapped at them, blasting their minds with dark energy. They froze, eyes rolling, but stopped the awful noise. Yawning, the dragon examined his wounds. His thigh used blood, but that would heal quickly. It was his wing he was more worried about. The velvety membrane of one wing was torn from claws and a large chunk was missing from the other where the smaller black dragon's fireball had hit it. Another dragon might have bleed to death, unable to sustain the weight on their torn wings, but Vashdin was not another dragon. As soon as he had escaped he had gone to work with his power, stopping the blood flow till he landed on the Viking ship. He'd been working on re-growing the skin and muscles ever since, but even with his power it was a long process.

Crashing sounds echoed from the tavern. A brawl had broken out and the participants tumbled onto the street, cheered by the onlookers. Unsteady footsteps approached the barn, probably a drunk coming for his horse. Spitting curses to himself Vashdin threw all his power into shifting his form. Bone stretched, shrunk, and re-arranged themselves. A few seconds later a man lay half buried in the straw, apparently asleep. The drunk paid him no mind, instead concentrating on the ordeal of getting himself onto his horses back. Once settled he slapped the horses sides. A look of surprise came over his face as the horse reared and he slid onto the ground. He got up blearily and swayed, eyeing the horse. Finally deciding he had climbed on backwards, he mumbled to himself and went about the task of getting on again, this time the correct way. Half collapsed on the horse's shoulder the pair plodded off, the animal knowing the way home out of long habit.

As soon as the duo left Vashdin let go of the form shifting power, groaning as his bones reshaped themselves. He hated switching forms. He'd had to though, to be able to stay out in the barn. Exchanging words with the fat tavern owner had left him in a foul mood, along with his wounds, which remained in human form. However, he'd been able to use the Viking Outcast's money to barter for sleeping in the barn. When people came, of course, he had to switch forms, but he was safe enough to work on his wounds. He hoped to stay only for one night and be off at first light. He focused again on his wing, channeling power into the muscles and skin, willing them reform.

_***Hiccup***_

The Viking teen's eyes were round as saucers as he walked with his dad through the Norse marketplace. The Vikings had split into small groups, each investigating a different island for signs of their prey. Hiccup hurried after his father's vast figure, determined not to lose site of him.

"Hiccup!" Stoic turned abruptly to his son. "Stay here, _out of trouble_, and entertain yourself for a while. I'm going to stop at that pub there and see if I can find out any information. Got that? Out of trouble. Anything happens, come find me." He handed Hiccup some Norse coins, probably from a raid, and strode off, decidedly more eager at the promise of a drink with his search. Hiccup rolled his eyes and dove back into the crush of the market.

The air was colder here than at Berk and a chill wind slid through the narrow streets. It carried with it the ever-present scent of fish, but a variety of new smells as well. Spices, baked foods, fresh bread, the metallic scent of metal and oil, and host of other unidentifiable items. The island was a trading port, as all the islands were, attracting ships from all over the world.

Hiccup flitted from booth to booth, eyes spinning with curiosity. He bought a hot pastry from a booth, filled with meat and yellow sauce. It was spicy and exotic, like nothing he'd tasted before.  
"You like?" The booth tender asked. He was dark skinned and wore a pile of cloth on his head like a tower.

Hiccup nodded as he bit into his meal. "What is it?"

"Curry! Curry is magic spice, no? Sweet, yet with a bite! From India, my country. Add to meat, fish, anything! You buy?" He held up a little pouch of yellow powder. Hiccup thought a moment and then nodded, passing over the right amount of coins. It would certainly add some flavor to the food at home. The trader seemed surprised Hiccup hadn't started bargaining, but then smiled and handed him another pastry along with the curry powder. "Many thanks, many thanks!" He called as Hiccup walked away smiling. He'd hoped his generosity would gain him another pastry and he'd been correct.

Another booth caught his attention. The table flashed with gold and silver bracelets, rings, necklaces, and more. His thoughts immediately strayed to Astrid, but she would never wear such things. He was about to turn away when a small dagger caught his eye. The handle was worked with fine silver in a varying and never ending series of knots and loops. He picked it up.

"Celtic work, that is. Celtic knots to protect you from evil and be sure your hand strikes true. Lovely, isn't it? Useful, yet beautiful."

"How much?"

The trader thought and named a price. Hiccup shook his head and suggested a much lower one. And so it went, haggling till they both came to a decision. Hiccup walked away with a much lighter wallet, but a small silver dagger tucked under his arm. He couldn't wait to give it to Astrid. Shopping now done, Hiccup turned his ears to the chatter around him, giving his full attention to anything that might help them find the Vikings and dragon.

"_How_ much are you asking?"

"Fine china? Hah! I'll bet its pewter painted over!"

"Fresh fruit! Ship just came in! Come and taste the tropics!"

"Silk for your lady friend? Only the finest!"

"Fresh fish, just caught!"

"Did you hear what Hilda said the other day?"

"Jared! Get out of the muck!"

"An engagement? Those two? I should knock their heads together!"

Hiccup moved through the market, looking for a more open space. The street opened onto a dock full of fishers, housewives, the odd Viking, and a variety of other people.

"Do you know where I can get purple thread? No one here has the color I need."

"Well they didn't land here, but my husband said that a cloth trading ship came through early this morning."

"Really? Do you know where it docked?"

"No, sorry. They came blazing through and ship that size, you know they won't be able to dock anywhere around here. Too crowded. Probably going to the Mid or Inner circle. You just wait, I bet the goods will trickle back here."

"What was it called? Ralph said he was heading to the Mid islands tomorrow for the day."

"Don't remember…Viking ship though. I can ask Ern when he gets home. Said they were rather rough looking; clothes all patched together. But if they have the goods…"

"…who cares how fair the face!" The two women laughed and their conversation turned to the local gossip. Hiccup had heard all he needed though. He bounded back through the marketplace towards the pub. They had a lead, and that's all they needed. One step closer to saving his friends. Hiccup pushed his legs to move faster.


End file.
